One year on: rapid assessment of fauna and red fox diet after the 2019–20 mega-fires in the Blue Mountains, New South Wales

ABSTRACT Australia’s 2019–20 mega-fires burnt 79% of the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area, prompting an urgent need for rapid on-ground post-fire assessments flora and fauna to aid in recovery. This project aimed determine spatial patterns populations assemblages vertebrates, vertebrate temporal activity, diet invasive Red Fox Vulpes vulpes, across unburnt sites. Using remote camera traps we surveyed 12 10 sites approximately months after fires. We detected 41 species (11 mammals, 28 birds 2 reptiles), with different composition, but similar richness both The relative abundance Eastern Grey Kangaroo Macropus giganteus, Common Wombat Vombatus ursinus Australian Magpie Gymnorhina tibicen was higher sites, while small mammals (< 500 g) had at There no difference Superb Lyrebird Menura novaehollandiae although 11 bird were only numbers too low reliable estimates differences. scat analysis (n=23) revealed that invertebrates plant material dominant prey items medium-sized increased diets reptiles consumed disproportionately more by Foxes compared Although short-term nature this study sample size limited detailed insights, our survey effective tool gain preliminary data on responses megafires contribute a baseline understanding