Bringing endangered grasshoppers back to Taungurung grasslands, Australia

One hundred endangered grasshoppers have been released at protected grasslands in Taungurung Country, where they haven't been seen in six decades.

The Key's Matchstick Grasshoppers—a species thought to have been extinct until their rediscovery in 2018—were collected from a population near Tolmie, in east-central Victoria, by researchers from the University of Melbourne and Zoos Victoria.

The grasshoppers have been translocated to a grassland restoration area at the Euroa Arboretum in the hopes of establishing a haven for the invertebrate. This restored landscape includes a crucial mix of the native daisies and tussock grasses that provide food and shelter for the threatened species.

The newly established population will be monitored multiple times each year to track how they establish and spread through the grassland habitat.

University of Melbourne Biosciences Professor Michael Kearney said, "By returning these over-wintering grasshoppers to suitable habitats we not only help them, but we also enrich food webs. This is because Key's Matchstick can be a source of food for birds and lizards in the winter and early spring, when most other insects are yet to hatch."

The Key's Matchstick Grasshopper was once widespread and abundant in New South Wales, the Australian Capital Territory and north-eastern Victoria, however populations have drastically reduced due to habitat destruction since European colonization. The species is clinging on in remnant patches of grasslands as small as 0.15 hectares.

The grasshoppers are flightless and are known to travel mere meters in their short lifespans. Each remaining population appears to be genetically distinct from populations that might only be a few kilometers away, also leaving whole populations vulnerable to fire and flood events.

Zoos Victoria Invertebrate Conservation Coordinator Jessie Sinclair said, "Working to re-establish these small yet significant grasshoppers to their former range is a profoundly rewarding experience that will help secure their existence into the future. The Arboretum is a fantastic meeting point for the community to engage and learn about the grasslands and this unique grasshopper."

Adult Key's Matchstick Grasshoppers lay their eggs directly into the soil in spring and early summer. Nymphs hatch in summer and mature in winter for males and spring for females. At the end of the spring and early summer mating period, all adults will die off.

The Key's Matchstick Grasshopper recovery trial is supported by the University of Melbourne, Zoos Victoria, Euroa Arboretum, Vic Roads and the Taungurung Land and Waters Council.

Euroa Arboretum Development Manager Cathy Olive said, "The Euroa Arboretum grassland restoration project has been underway since 2015. Having habitat that is good enough for a threatened species is a thrill and all part of the evolving diversity of the site."

Provided by University of Melbourne