L. Forró szerk.: Miscellanea Zoologica Hungarica 13. 2000 (Budapest, 2000)

Hangay, G., Fuisz, T. I.; Bankovics, A.: Notes on the Vertebrate fauna of Katandra Bushland Sanctuary, Sydney, Australia

gummiferum, Logania barbára and Pultenaea flexilis. Along the lower sections of the watercourses rainforest-like closed forests are present with Livistona australis, Ceratopetalum apetalum, Tristaniopsis laurina, Todea barbára and Cissus hypoglauca (McDougal 2000). A number of plant species in the Sanctuary are rare and/or uncommon (Benson & Howell 1994, Sherringham & Sanders 1993). A large number of species are used directly by mammals and birds either as food source or for nesting and sheltering and some other species are used indirectly (e. g. some flowering plants attract insects which in turn feed insectivorous birds and mammals). A more detailed study of the connection between plants and animals inhabiting the Sanctuary would be needed. There are very few non-indigenous plants in Katandra. An active weeding program by the Friends of Katandra Bushland Sanctuary Inc. is focused on the eradication of all introduced plants within the Sanctuary. Several bushfires were recorded in Katandra, the most recent one occurred in January 1994. On that occasion parts of the Sanctuary were severely damaged while other sections suffered less. It seems that at present the vegetation has recovered and the flora is generally healthy and diverse. Methods Larger mammals were surveyed by visual observation during daylight hours. The mammals were identified and designated into families using the keys given by Strahan (1987, 1998). The early hours, just around sunrise and late afternoon yielded the best results. Wallabia bicolor was observed often in these times, usually in thick scrub, at sites No. 1 and No. 18. On overcast days more animals were seen than on clear days. Mammals were also observed at night by torchlight. Mostly arboreal species were seen by this method, such as Trichosurus vulpecula and Pseudocheirus peregrinus. On moonless or overcast nights more animals were seen than on clear, moon-lit nights. Small mammals such as Rattus spp. and Antechinus spp. were trapped using Elliot traps, baited with a compound bait of peanut butter, honey and rolled oats (Hangay & Digley 1987). The traps were laid at around 8 p.m. and inspected before sunrise in order to determine and free the animals before the ambient temperature could rise. As a result of this precaution, not even a single captured animal has died. Traps were laid during a one-month period in various locations along the walking trails and their positions were changed every three days. During the trapping program (January 2-31, 1999) 20 traps were laid on 28 occasions, totaling approximately to 5600 trap-hours. The presence of mammals was also surveyed by searching for their signs, droppings and footprints. The characteristic scratchings of Parameles nasuta were observed, Wallabia bicolor droppings collected and footprints recorded. Most footprints were collected by sand traps, set up in the following manner: an area of approximately one square meter was cleared of vegetation and clean river sand was spread over it. The sand was smoothed with a trowel and a ball of compound bait was placed in its center-point. As the animals approached the bait, they left their footprints in the sand. Parameles nasuta, Rattus spp., Trichosurus vulpecula and Vulpes vulpes prints were mainly collected by this method. Some footprints were collected under overhanging cliffs where the accumulated sand was free of leaf-litter and from muddy tracks where the animals left clear impressions. Mainly Tachyglossus aculeatus, Wallabia bicolor and feral Canis familiáris, Felis catus, Vulpes vulpes and Oryctolagus cuniculus prints were collected this way. The best (clearest) prints were cast in plaster and kept as reference and interpretive material. Birds were surveyed mostly by visual observation, occasionally by their sound. Bird capturing of any sort was not employed and consequently a number of birds — mostly small, juvenile/ immature forms of passerines — where sighted but could not be identified. These are not included in the species list below. Species that were not identified with certainty are marked with a (?) mark. Birds that were seen flying over the Sanctuary and were possible to be identified were recorded. The majority of the