Habitat use and survival of the endangered northern bettong (Bettongia tropica) after prescribed fire

Context Changed fire regimes play a role in the decline of many species, and prescribed fire is now commonly used as a management tool to restore or maintain habitat. The northern bettong (Bettongia tropica) is an endangered Australian mammal that has been lost from most of its previous range. Northern bettongs remain in only two locations, a core population of ~1000 at our study site and <20 individuals at their only other known location. In some locations, fire suppression over the past 200 years, typically for asset protection, appears to have reduced the suitability of the bettong’s preferred grassy woodland habitat. Prescribed fire is now being used as a tool to manage northern bettong habitat, to maintain open structure and promote grass growth; however, there is limited evidence about how prescribed fire affects bettongs in the short term. Food and shelter sources that northern bettongs rely on may be affected by fire. They are also in the critical weight range of Australian mammals that are prone to cat predation, which can be exacerbated by fire. Aim We aimed to test how northern bettongs respond to low-to-medium severity fires intended to improve habitat structure for the species. Methods We deployed 20 GPS collars on northern bettongs across two field seasons to obtain data on home range, active area, and nesting areas before and after fire. We performed mark–recapture surveys before and after fire to compare population density, fitness measures, and demography. Key results Bettongs shifted their nesting areas following fire to incorporate more unburned habitat, and there was no change to their active area. Bettongs’ overall home ranges do not shift following a low-to-medium severity fire, consistent with their food sources’ resistance to fire. Conclusions Northern bettongs can shift their nesting areas to unburned grassy patches. This supports the belief that northern bettongs are well-adapted to low-severity fires, but high-severity fire may result in a lack of appropriate nesting areas. Implications In sites where the northern bettong is in critically low numbers, the short-term risk from low-to-medium severity prescribed fire aimed at longer-term habitat improvement appears low.