Koonamore Kangaroo Scat Counts From 1968 To 2022

The TGB Osborn Vegetation Reserve kangaroo transect dataset contains counts of kangaroo scats from a monitoring program established in 1968. Surveys conducted from 1968 to 2022 provide a qualitative record of kangaroo activity fluctuations within the reserve. The data was digitized by the Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network and includes counts of goat and sheep pellets recorded since 2017.

Use Cases

• Analyze trends in kangaroo_scat_count over the 54-year time_range to infer population cycles.
• Compare kangaroo activity inside the reserve versus outside in the paddock using location-specific scat counts.
• Assess the impact of introduced species by examining goat_pellet_count and sheep_pellet_count recorded since 2017.

Strengths

• Data spans 54 years from 1968 to 2022, providing a long-term ecological record.
• Transect methodology established in 1968 by researchers Andrew Smith and Bob Lange provides consistent monitoring.

Limitations

• Data is a proxy (scat count) for kangaroo numbers, not direct population counts.
• The transect covers only a specific sandy dune area within the reserve, limiting spatial coverage.
• Sheep and goat counts are only available from 2017 onward, creating a partial record for those species.

Provenance

Source

Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network's Data Discovery portal.

Collection Method

Field surveys counting kangaroo, goat, and sheep scats along a fixed east-west transect.

Time Range

1968 to 2022

Freshness

Data updated to version 2.1 in March 2026, with records through 2022.

Geography

TGB Osborn (Koonamore) Vegetation Reserve, South Australia.