Artificial refuges for wildlife conservation

Abstract

1 One technique used to combat the growing global species extinction crisis has been to create 2 artificial refuges—human-made replacements for natural refuges destroyed during habitat 3 modification. However, there is limited knowledge of how closely artificial refuges replicate 4 the natural refuges they seek to replace. Mining threatens many species worldwide through 5 large-scale habitat modification, and artificial refuges have been proposed as a method to 6 offset the resulting habitat loss. Here, we examined the microclimatic, physical, and biotic 7 characteristics of natural dens occupied by the northern quoll ( Dasyurus hallucatus )—an 8 endangered marsupial threatened by habitat loss—and compared these to 1) superficially 9 similar unoccupied crevices, and 2) artificial dens created by mining companies for northern 10 quolls. Northern quolls occupied natural dens that were cooler and deeper than unoccupied 11 crevices, likely to avoid lethal air temperatures as well as predators. Artificial dens provided 12 similar thermal properties to occupied dens, but lacked key characteristics in having 13 shallower den cavities, less complex surrounding habitat, increased feral cat visitation, and 14 less small mammal prey compared to occupied dens. This study highlights the need to 15 consider multiple facets when constructing artificial refuges, in order to avoid perverse 16 outcomes, such as inadequate shelter, increased predation and food shortages.