ABSTRACT Taxonomic revision can introduce uncertainty into conservation assessment by reshaping species boundaries, distributions, and the interpretation of historical data. Here, we integrated ecological and threat‐related information for a recently revised mammal species to evaluate its responses to climate extremes and an introduced predator within its updated geographic range. Specifically, we aimed to (1) confirm the presence of Petaurus notatus in the Liverpool Plains, New South Wales, as per proposed revised distribution, (2) investigate if feral predator detection is linked to the suggested decline in detection of these gliders at the study area, and (3) explore the behaviour of gliders at artificial water points in relation to weather. We conducted trapping, spotlighting surveys and collected eDNA samples from water stations to determine species presence. Tissue samples were also collected from a glider carcass found opportunistically. We used remote video monitoring at water stations to quantify detections of feral cats ( Felis catus ) and assess whether these were associated with changes in glider detections between 2016 and 2023. Finally, we quantified behaviour of gliders accessing the water stations and their drinking behaviour related to temperature and rainfall. No gliders were captured or detected during spotlighting surveys, nor could they be identified through eDNA analysis, but the glider carcass was that of P. notatus . Cat detection did not appear to influence glider detection at artificial water stations. Gliders spent more time drinking per visit when temperatures were high and rainfall was infrequent. This study confirms the presence of P. notatus in the Liverpool Plains and provides one of the first ecological insights for the species in this region, contributing important baseline data to inform its management. It also suggests that P. notatus may be vulnerable to climate change. The strategic placement and monitoring of water supplementation points, a growing tool in wildlife conservation under increasingly arid conditions, could support adaptive management in response to climate pressures.
Atkinson et al. (Fri,) studied this question.