Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2022L00195:reg:3:p6
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2022L00195
Segment Type: reg
Provision Reference: reg 3 (pt 6/11)
Character Range: 29638–32616

populations and 2 range limit subpopulations remaining (Jackson et al., 2011; 2020; see Map 2). The total estimated population of the Mahogany Glider is estimated to be 1,500 to 2,000 individuals (Burbidge et al., 2014). An assessment of the population trajectory was undertaken as part of the Mahogany Glider Scorecard under the Australian Government's Threatened Species Strategy (National Environmental Science Program Threatened Species Research Hub, 2019) which confirmed that population decline was still ongoing.

3.5                 Habitat
The presence of the Mahogany Glider throughout its distribution is not uniform. One study that endeavoured to determine the habitat requirements of the Mahogany Glider in the Porters Creek/Mullers Creek area used trapping and vegetation structure data. This research revealed their presence was correlated with the tree species Corymbia clarksoniana, Eucalyptus platyphylla, Lophostemon suaveolens and Melaleuca dealbata. It also correlated with a reduced middle and upper canopy cover and the absence of Acacia mangium and Corymbia intermedia (which typically occur in more closed habitat along creek lines), though they will use these species when they have arils or are flowering respectively. These results contrasted with the habitat preferences of Krefft's Gliders (Petaurus notatus) in the same study area, which were most correlated with a large number of stems. Krefft's Gliders showed a preference for a more closed canopy, and the presence of A. mangium, C. intermedia, rainforest species, and a dense middle and upper canopy cover (Jackson, 2000d). Direct observations also suggest that Mahogany Gliders do not tolerate the smaller Krefft's Gliders if they are in the same tree, as these will be chased away. It appears that Mahogany Gliders and Krefft's Gliders (though sympatric with each other) typically partition the available habitat, with the more open habitat being utilised by the larger species, while the smaller species utilises more closed habitat (Jackson, 2000b; 2000d).
An assessment of the finer scale distribution of the Mahogany Glider within in its known distributional limits was undertaken using information from Van Dyck (1993) and Jackson (2000d; 2001). This was done by allocating all 179 vegetation communities found within the predicted distribution of the glider into 1 of 5 habitat types (Table 1). The allocation of vegetation communities considered the diversity of tree species present, the forest structure, and the likely frequency of usage by the glider based on its dietary and den site requirements (Van Dyck, 1993; Jackson, 2000b; 2000d; 2001). This research created maps illustrating the location and extent of the historical and current habitat likely to be utilised by the Mahogany Glider (see Map 1). It also revealed that 51,870 ha consists of the most structurally diverse habitat type 'Mixed Open Forest' and 55,760 ha is the more open and less diverse 'Mixed Woodland'. A