Mapping the habitats of rare animals in the Tanami wildlife sanctuary (Central Australia): An application of satellite imagery

Digitally enhanced Landsat imagery was used to locate a habitat suitable for the re-introduction of rufous hare-wallabies Lagorchestes hirsutus, presently known only from one location in central Australia. By remote sensing, it was possible to survey 65 000 km² and locate three potential sites which were then checked in the field. The method reported here required two weeks for computer enhancement of the imagery and two for field survey. It is thus appropriate to the rapid assessment of rare animal habitat distributions over large areas.The ecological setting of the region in general and the habitat of the rare macropods are examined first in terms of local topography and fire history. The second section reviews techniques for the use of satellite imagery and describes the specialised enhancements utilised. The results of field investigations of sites selected from the Landsat imagery are then reported.