ORCID Profile
0000-0002-6927-5198
Current Organisations
University of New South Wales
,
University of Milan
,
University of Western Australia
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Publisher: American Dairy Science Association
Date: 11-2002
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 16-04-2002
DOI: 10.1002/JSFA.1101
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2010
DOI: 10.1071/WR09040
Abstract: Context. Although wildlife crossing structures are often included when new roads are built, their effectiveness at reconnecting wildlife populations is still largely unknown. A new highway was built in 2005 through an area of remnant vegetation in Perth, Western Australia. Assessment of the area before construction identified potential impacts on a population of southern brown bandicoots (Isoodon obesulus fusciventer). Aims. We aimed to determine the use by bandicoots of three underpasses constructed to provide a linkage between habitats that were fragmented by the highway, focussing on how many different in iduals used them, which is an essential step to demonstrate their effectiveness at reconnecting fragmented populations. Methods. We used detection of tracks in sand pads for 1 year to establish the use of the underpasses by bandicoots. We then captured 56 bandicoots and fitted them with passive integrated transponders (PIT), and installed a Trovan 650 scanner/decoder within the most frequently used underpass to establish whether multiple in iduals used it. Key results. By using sand pads, we demonstrated that bandicoots used the underpasses, with a total of 278 passes between August 2005 and August 2006. One underpass accounted for 71% of these passes and was used already during construction. Eight different bandicoots were recorded using this underpass between August 2006 and August 2007, demonstrating use by multiple in iduals. A dramatic decline in the use of this underpass was observed after foxes (Vulpes vulpes) also started using it in August 2006, and a fox built a den near the entrance of this structure. Because we also failed to recapture any of the bandicoots implanted with PITs we suspect that they had been killed by foxes. Conclusions. A severe decline in bandicoots coinciding with underpass use by foxes raises questions as to the long-term success of fauna crossings. Clearly, the relationship between underpass use by predators and the target species, in this case bandicoots, needs to be examined further. Implications. Our work demonstrated that although underpasses have the potential to reconnect populations because multiple in iduals used them, their installation may be detrimental to wildlife populations if predators are not controlled.
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2003
DOI: 10.1071/WR01082
Abstract: The aim of this study was to assess food availability for the dibbler (Parantechinus apicalis) on Boullanger and Whitlock Islands in different habitats and seasons. This was assessed by capturing ground-dwelling invertebrates in pitfall traps in winter, spring and autumn. A quantitative faecal-pellet analysis was conducted to determine the composition of the diet. There were no significant differences in the number of invertebrates captured in the different seasons, or in the different habitat types on the islands. The proportion of plant versus animal matter in the faecal pellets did not change significantly between the seasons. The diet consisted of ~20% plant material. The scat analysis showed that dibblers consumed at least 10 orders of invertebrates ranging in length from 0.1 mm to 25 mm with an average size of 4.5 ± 0.4 mm. The dibblers did not select for a particular size or taxon of prey, but fed on any invertebrates that were readily available to them. This suggests that dibblers are essentially insectivorous dietary generalists and opportunists. The information gathered in this study could be applied when considering available food resources at future translocation sites for dibblers.
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2006
DOI: 10.1071/WR04032
Abstract: Auditory deterrents such as the Roo-Guard® sound emitters (Shu-Roo Australia Pty Ltd) have been used to keep kangaroos off crops and airstrips. We tested the efficacy of the Roo-Guard® Mk II sound emitter in deterring tammar wallabies (Macropus eugenii) from a known source of food on Garden Island, Western Australia, where up to 400 tammars are killed yearly by vehicles. The device was not effective in deterring the tammars from the food even when an alternative source of food was available. It was concluded that the Roo-Guards in their present form are not suitable to keep tammars off the roads of Garden Island.
Publisher: EDP Sciences
Date: 07-2006
DOI: 10.1051/RND:2006024
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2020
DOI: 10.1071/AM17063
Abstract: The quokka (Setonix brachyurus), an iconic marsupial endemic to Western Australia, is listed as vulnerable. It is found at its greatest abundance on Rottnest Island, where little is known about its home range and movement patterns. We estimated the home ranges of 22 male and 23 female quokkas within each season in four habitat types on Rottnest Island: coastal dune, grass/heath, woodland and settlement areas developed for tourism. We also tested for factors affecting home range and space use. The mean seasonal home-range size of quokkas was 1.91 ± 0.23 ha, and there was no effect of sex or weight, habitat type or wet or dry periods on the size of the home ranges. Home-range overlap during both night and day was significantly lower in the settlement (25.9%), compared with costal dunes (78.5%), woodlands (70.3%) and grass/heath (66.6%). This was due to feeding and resting sites being spatially separated, with quokkas resting outside of the settled areas during the day and travelling back to these areas to feed at night. This research demonstrates how tourism development can impact on the behaviour and movement patterns of local species and will inform future management of the quokka on Rottnest Island.
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2017
DOI: 10.1071/ZO17049
Abstract: Islands provide the last refuge for many Australian species that have succumbed to range contractions since European settlement. These species have heightened vulnerability when developments are planned for the islands. The burrowing bettong (Bettongia lesueur), a threatened macropod, was once widespread across Australia but now occurs naturally only on Barrow Island and two other Western Australian offshore islands. Here, we document the demographic, social and genetic characteristics of the Barrow Island population, using nuclear microsatellites, mtDNA and demographic parameters from 286 in iduals trapped around 29 warrens. The Barrow Island population utilises complex warren systems scattered across the landscape and exhibits continuous breeding, even during extensive dry conditions. Males (759 g) were significantly heavier than females (735 g), with the latter reaching sexual maturity at ~600 g. Warrens varied markedly in size and number of in iduals, with 20% of females and 25% of males moving between nearby warrens. There were two deep mtDNA haplotype clades that coalesce around 298 000 years ago, indicating that this island population has maintained an effective population size that has permitted the retention of one marked feature of its preisolation genetic ersity. Dispersal and gene flow between warrens was severely constrained. Both mtDNA and 11 nuclear microsatellites showed a strong isolation by distance effect, with genetic differences between warrens increasing linearly with geographic separation. While this was marked in both sexes, it was stronger in females and consistent with shorter dispersal distances for females than for males. The trapping and genetic data are concordant, with between-warren sociality correlated with genetic similarity. Long-term conservation, management and translocation programs will benefit from cognisance of the strong fidelity to natal areas, as evidenced by both recapture data and genetic analyses.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 10-2018
DOI: 10.1016/J.CUB.2018.09.005
Abstract: Wildlife-vehicle collisions are an important cause of mortality for many animal species. They also prove extremely detrimental to the critically endangered Asiatic cheetah (Acinonyx jubatus venaticus) [1,2]. One to two Asiatic cheetahs are killed by vehicles on Iran's roads annually [3,4]. As such, the Asiatic cheetah could be the next charismatic felid subspecies to go extinct in the near future [5]. We identified one statistically-significant cluster of cheetah-vehicle collisions on the Shahroud-Sabzevar Highway (SSH), in Semnan Province. Because of the extremely small population of cheetahs and the corresponding difficulty of finding statistically-significant clusters, we propose that every single cheetah-vehicle collision should be considered important. We further recommend that wildlife underpasses and associated fencing be constructed in areas of previous cheetah-vehicle collisions.
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2020
DOI: 10.1071/AM18036
Abstract: We used radio-telemetry to investigate the home-range size and movement patterns of the quokka (Setonix brachyurus) in the southern forests of Western Australia to assess the ability of animals to move between increasingly segregated habitat patches and to identify implications for metapopulation function. We found that quokkas in this region have a much larger home range (71 ± 5.8 ha) and move larger distances (up to 10 km per night) than previously reported for this species in other regions. Temporal and sex variations in home-range size, overlap and movement patterns provided insights into the social structure, reproductive strategies and resource availability for the species in this part of its range. Quokkas moved up to 14 km between habitat patches, where these patches were connected by dense riparian vegetation. While riparian vegetation was used exclusively for movement between habitat patches, quokkas spent only 40% of their time in this ecotype. The current management paradigm of protecting linear riparian vegetation as habitat for quokkas is important for maintaining habitat connectivity, but is unlikely to meet broader habitat and spatial requirements. Management of preferred habitat as well as riparian corridors is necessary for the maintenance of a functional metapopulation.
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2018
DOI: 10.1071/AM16058
Abstract: Scientific studies and population management may benefit from knowledge of the age structure of a target population. We evaluated traditional and newly developed methods of estimating the age of kangaroos with data from 336 western grey kangaroos (Macropus fuliginosus) culled from a wild population in south-western Australia. We compared their ages based on molar progression with data on head, leg, and foot length, a balanced sum of all three measures, dried eye-lens weight, and molar wear score, and derived formulae to estimate age from each variable. Molar wear score has a linear relationship to molar progression and therefore leads to similar estimations of age, but requires only one complete arcade of molars. Because the relationships between age and the lengths of head, foot and leg are curvilinear, these become less reliable indicators of age with increasing age but the accuracy can be improved by considering a combination of the lengths of head, foot, and leg. Estimation of age from dried lens weight is more accurate than estimation from morphometry. The use of morphometry to estimate the age of kangaroos older than two years is more reliable than previously thought and requisite data can be collected from live animals. Where lethal methods are needed to collect s les, a largely intact skull, a single arcade of molars, or the lens extracted from one eye can reliably be used to estimate age.
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 05-2014
DOI: 10.7120/09627286.23.2.141
Abstract: It is sometimes necessary to restrain kangaroos ( Macropus spp) for veterinary treatment or in the course of scientific research, but the associated stresses may induce capture myopathy in wild kangaroos. Judicious use of injectable sedatives can reduce the risk of capture myopathy. Zoletil®, a proprietary mixture of tiletamine and zolazepam, is reported to have a wide safety margin, a small dose volume, and be quick acting for a range of animals. We investigated the dose-response relationship of Zoletil® in 26 western grey kangaroos (Macropus fuliginosus ocydromus) . All kangaroos were recumbent within 5-10 min of intramuscular injection with mean (± SD) Zoletil® of 4.55 (± 0.98) mg kg −1 . Mean (± SD) time to recovery varied between in iduals, 2.07 (± 0.41) h over all occasions, and was independent of dose rate. For animals that were assessed on multiple occasions, mean (± SEM) time to recover was reduced from 2.25 (± 0.09) h on the first occasion to 2.15 (± 0.10) h on the second occasion and 1.81 (± 0.11) h on the third. Since kangaroos sedated with Zoletil® are vulnerable to predation and injury during recovery, we believe they should be supervised until they are able to fend for themselves.
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2016
DOI: 10.1071/WR15124
Abstract: Context The presence of large mammals on roads poses a serious risk to both the animals and motorists if collisions with vehicles occur. Fencing roads can reduce this risk, and it also limits the landscape-scale movements of animals. By also constructing fauna underpasses it may be possible to avoid collisions with vehicles, while, at the same time, allowing the natural movement of animals across the landscape. Aims We aimed to determine whether western grey kangaroos (Macropus fulignosus) would use fauna underpasses and to determine how this may affect their home range. Methods We used motion-activated infrared cameras to monitor the use of one large 8 × 3 m arched underpass and two 0.9-m-diameter fauna underpasses over 342 days between March 2011 and March 2012. The underpasses were situated between reserves separated by a four-lane fenced highway, with one reserve surrounded by residential properties. At the same time, 20 kangaroos (10 males and 10 females) were radio-tracked to determine the size of their home range and to test whether the animals incorporated the fauna underpasses into their daily movements. Key results The large fauna underpass was used 3116 times by in idual kangaroos in groups of up to 21 animals, whereas the two smaller underpasses were used only twice. In total, 14 of the 20 radio-collared kangaroos used the large underpass over the course of the study, but underpass use did not affect home-range size. Kangaroos that did not use the underpass had a significantly higher proportion of their home range on residential properties surrounding one of the reserves than did those kangaroos that used the underpass. Conclusions The use of the underpass did not affect the size of the home range of the kangaroos, but it allowed the kangaroos to access grazing areas that would have been otherwise inaccessible. Fauna underpasses allow the safe passage of kangaroos between isolated remnant vegetation patches and may reduce significantly the risks posed to motorists and kangaroos from collisions. Implications Fencing roads and constructing fauna underpasses is a viable solution to reducing some of the problems of managing large kangaroos in peri-urban areas.
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2016
DOI: 10.1071/WR15126
Abstract: Context House mice (Mus domesticus) are present on Boullanger and Whitlock islands, Western Australia, and could potentially threaten populations of the dibbler (Parantechinus apicalis) and grey-bellied dunnart (Sminthopsis griseoventer) through competition for resources. A workshop in 2007 recommended a study to assess the feasibility of eradicating house mice from the islands by using poison baits and of the risk posed to non-target native species. Aim We aimed to assess the risk to non-target native species if poison baiting was used to eradicate house mice on Boullanger and Whitlock islands. Methods Non-toxic baits containing the bait marker rhodamine B were distributed on Boullanger Island and on the mouse free Escape Island to determine the potential for primary poisoning. Acceptance of baits by mammals was measured through s ling and analysis of whiskers, and by reptiles through observations of dye in faeces. To determine the potential for secondary exposure to poison, the response of dibblers to mouse carcasses was observed using motion-activated cameras. Bait acceptance was compared using two methods of delivery, namely, scattering in the open and delivery in polyvinyl chloride (PVC) tubes. A cafeteria experiment of bait consumption by dibblers was also undertaken using captive animals held at the Perth Zoo. Ten dibblers were offered non-toxic baits containing rhodamine B in addition to their normal meals consumption of bait and the presence of dye in whiskers were measured. Key results Bait acceptance on the islands was high for house mice (92% of in iduals) and dibblers (48%) and it was independent of bait-delivery technique. There was no evidence of bait acceptance by grey-bellied dunnarts. Dibblers may consume mice carcasses if available however, no direct consumption of mice carcasses was observed with movement sensor cameras but one dibbler was observed removing a mouse carcass and taking it away. During the cafeteria experiment, 9 of 10 captive dibblers consumed baits. Conclusions This investigation demonstrated that dibblers consume baits readily and island populations would experience high mortality if exposed to poison baits. Poison baiting could effectively eradicate mice from Boullanger and Whitlock islands but not without mortality for dibblers. Implications Toxic baits could be used to eradicate mice from Boullanger and Whitlock islands, provided that non-target species such as dibblers were temporarily removed from the islands before the application of baits.
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 22-08-2014
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2001
DOI: 10.1016/S0378-4347(01)00309-7
Abstract: A selective gas chromatography-mass spectrometry method using solid-phase extraction has been developed for the detection and quantification of naltrexone and its metabolite, 6,beta-naltrexol in plasma and milk from humans and sheep at pharmacologically relevant concentrations. Di- or tri-acetyl derivatives were formed and quantified by selected-ion monitoring. Recoveries of naltrexone (30 microg/l) and 6,beta-naltrexol (250 microg/l) from both human plasma and milk were greater than 70%. Intra-assay and inter-day precision ranged from 3 to 21% for naltrexone and 2-18% for 6,beta-naltrexol for all matrices investigated, with an overall mean accuracy of 104% for naltrexone, and 99% for 6,beta-naltrexol. Human s les containing these analytes were stable for at least 3 weeks at -20 degrees C or 6 weeks at -80 degrees C. Analysis of the plasma and milk from the lactating sheep showed mean milk-to-plasma ratios of 55 for naltrexone and 3 for 6,beta-naltrexol.
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2000
DOI: 10.1071/ZO00030
Abstract: A study of the mating behaviour of the dibbler, Parantechinus apicalis, was conducted at a captive-breeding colony at Perth Zoo. In total, 21 pairs of P. apicalis were observed. The oestrous cycles of the females were monitored, and the males and females were paired when the females were approaching oestrus. Direct observations were made of the pairs over a 2-h period 3–4 times a week for the duration of the breeding season (mid February to April). It was found that the mating behaviour of P. apicalis was similar to that of other dasyurids in particular, sniffing, vocalisations, chasing and attempted mounting tended to increase in the days leading up to mating. No significant difference was found between successful pairs (i.e. those that did mate) and unsuccessful pairs (i.e. those that did not) in the number of interactions and the average distance between the pair.
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2010
DOI: 10.1071/ZO09085
Abstract: We investigated the consumption of milk by the young quokka using the stable isotope deuterium oxide. The volume of milk consumed increased from 1.6 mL day–1 at 55 days post partum to 32.5 mL day–1 at 165 days. The daily energy intake ranged from ~22 to 151 kJ day–1 during pouch life. The crude growth efficiency (grams of growth per millilitre of milk consumed) increased from an average of 0.35 to 0.46 g mL–1 in the early stages of pouch life, and then decreased to 0.24 g mL–1 during Phase 2b of lactation. The crude growth efficiency measured in our study indicates that quokkas are equally efficient in converting milk energy to body mass as other marsupials reported in the literature. Measuring milk intake with this method offers a non-toxic, minimally invasive alternative to other techniques for measuring milk consumption in marsupials, when milk is the only source of water intake.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 04-2015
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 02-2000
DOI: 10.1017/S0022029999003921
Abstract: Sarda ewes, ∼4·5 million animals producing 500 000 tonnes milk annually, are one of the most important breeds of dairy sheep in the Mediterranean area. Several studies (Casu & Labussière, 1972 Labussière et al . 1981 Gallego et al . 1983 Rebello de Andrade et al . 1989 Bencini, 1993) have shown that milk production is influenced by mammary gland size and cistern dimension. The size of the mammary cistern affects both milk secretion rate and milk emission kinetics during milking. Milk secretion rate is controlled at the mammary gland level mainly by a protein feedback inhibitor of lactation (FIL), which is produced by mammary epithelial cells and secreted together with milk into the alveoli (Wilde & Peaker, 1990). As the alveoli are the site of action of the FIL (Henderson & Peaker, 1984), the FIL affects the rate of secretion when the milk is stored in the secretory tissue, whereas it is inactive in the milk stored in the cistern. As a consequence, the action of the FIL should be less in animals with a greater cistern volume, because a large proportion of milk is stored in the mammary cistern and the time during which the milk is in contact with the alveoli is reduced. This hypothesis is supported by the finding that the milk production of cows (Dewhurst & Knight, 1992 Knight & Dewhurst, 1992, 1994) and sheep (Karam et al . 1971 Enne et al . 1972) with large cistern storage capacities was almost unaffected by changes in the frequency of milking. Cistern volume also affects milk emission kinetics and the proportion of stripped milk obtained at milking (Labussière, 1988). Cisternal milk is immediately available for removal, whereas alveolar milk is available only after operation of the ejection reflex, necessary in dairy ewes for complete udder emptying (Bruckmaier et al . 1997). Therefore, in animals readily able to expel alveolar milk into the cistern before the whole cisternal milk fraction is removed (Pazzona et al . 1978 Bruckmaier et al . 1997), a larger cistern volume enables milking time to be reduced by eliminating or restricting the need for stripping. On the basis of the above considerations, the volume of the mammary gland cistern could be proposed as a selection objective to improve milk production and milking ability of dairy ewes. For this purpose, a quick, accurate and economic method for measuring it is needed. The ultrasound technique allows the internal structure of the mammary gland cistern to be observed clearly in sheep (Ruberte et al . 1994 Pulina et al . 1996 Bruckmaier et al . 1997), cows (Bruckmaier et al . 1994 b ) and goats (Bruckmaier et al . 1994 a ). Cistern size has been measured by ultrasound in dairy cows (Bruckmaier et al . 1994 b ) and sheep (Pulina & Nudda, 1996), where a positive correlation between milk yield and cistern area calculated from the ultrasound images of mammary glands was found. However, area estimation requires the use of expensive ultrasound equipment or of a digitizing tablet. In both cases, area measurement is difficult owing to the irregular shape of the cistern. The aim of this study was to test the use of linear measurements taken directly from ultrasound images to estimate cistern size in dairy ewes.
Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Date: 19-01-2016
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 1995
DOI: 10.1071/EA9950563
Abstract: This paper describes a double Latin square design experiment to determine the effect of various doses of oxytocin injected intramuscularly in nondairy ewes on the induction of milk ejection and milk composition. Eight New Zealand Romney ewes without experience as dairy sheep were injected intravenously with 1 IU synthetic oxytocin and machine-milked to empty their udders. After 4 h, the procedure was repeated using 0, 1, 5, or 10 IU oxytocin in I mL sterile saline solution, this time injected intramuscularly. All doses of oxytocin significantly (P .01) increased the amount of milk at the second milking, and there was no difference between 1, 5, and 10 IU. Only the 10 IU treatment affected the composition of the milk: fat concentration was increased from an average of 5.2 to 6.4% (P .05). It was concluded that 1 IU of oxytocin injected intramuscularly is adequate to obtain milk withdrawal and that the composition of the milk is not affected provided the dose injected is IU.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 08-2003
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 16-12-2015
DOI: 10.3390/ANI5040414
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2014
DOI: 10.1071/WR14065
Abstract: Context An understanding of population size and status is necessary for the implementation of appropriate conservation measures to recover threatened taxa. Mark–recapture studies at large spatial scales are impractical and expensive and a rapid survey technique is an attractive option to provide a measure of relative abundance for cryptic species, using indicators of activity. Aims The aim of our study was to use conventional methods for population estimation to calibrate a rapid survey technique for the quokka (Setonix brachyurus) in the southern forests of Western Australia, with a view to providing quantitative outcomes from this widely adopted monitoring approach. Methods We evaluated the accuracy of relative abundances obtained from the rapid survey technique by comparing them with abundance estimates obtained through established methods for the estimation of populations, including web-based mark–recapture and transect-based counts of activity indicators and sightings. Key results The rapid survey technique was effective at determining presence of quokkas but resulted in an over-estimation of population size because of inaccurate assumptions about occupancy and relative abundance of animals. An alternative survey method based on counts of fresh faecal-pellet groups was found to provide a more reliable and practical estimation of population abundance (R2 = 0.97). Conclusions Activity indices can be used to quantify population abundance, but only for indicators of activity that can be detected readily and for which freshness of activity can be determined. Implications Our findings suggest that a rapid survey based on activity indices can be used to evaluate quantitatively the population size of a species that is rare and potentially mobile at a landscape scale. The attraction of these techniques is that they provide a rapid and inexpensive survey option that is potentially applicable to any cryptic and/or threatened species and is practical for resource-constrained land managers.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 06-2015
DOI: 10.1038/522287A
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2009
DOI: 10.1071/WR08050
Abstract: Wild brushtail possums (Trichosurus vulpecula) occur in large numbers in the grounds of Perth Zoo, Western Australia. These possums are a problem because they consume feed the zoo buys for its captive animals, damage seedlings and trees and many need to be treated for injuries sustained during fights with conspecifics. A contraceptive implant, which contains the gonadotrophin releasing hormone (GnRH) agonist deslorelin, could be a potential method of managing this population. We tested the efficacy of the implant and its impact on the body-condition index of treated possums with Kaplan–Meier analysis and a mixed model with residual maximum likelihood. We implanted 60 female possums with deslorelin and monitored reproductive success of treated and untreated possums for the following 18 months. At the conclusion of the study, 80% of 20 treated females recaptured had shown no evidence of breeding activity, giving an average minimum duration of effective contraception of 381 days. The implant did not have a negative impact on the body-condition index of treated possums during the course of the study. Our results suggest that deslorelin implants could be an effective management tool for brushtail possums at Perth Zoo and in other urban environments.
Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Date: 16-06-2022
DOI: 10.1371/JOURNAL.PONE.0269179
Abstract: Central Iran supports a ersity of carnivores, most of which are threatened by habitat loss and fragmentation. Carnivore conservation requires the identification and preservation of core habitats and ensuring connectivity between them. In the present study, we used species distribution modeling to predict habitat suitability and connectivity modeling to predict linkage (resistant kernel and factorial least-cost path analyses) for grey wolf and golden jackal in central Iran. For grey wolf, elevation, topographic ruggedness, and distance to Conservation Areas (CAs) were the strongest predictors for golden jackal, distance to human settlements, dump sites and topographic ruggedness were the most influential variables in predicting the occurrence of this species. Our results also indicated a high potential for large parts of the landscape to support the occurrence of these two canid species. The largest and the most crucial core habitats and corridor paths for the conservation of both species are located in the southern part of the study landscape. We found a small overlap between golden jackal corridor paths and core habitats with CAs, which has important implications for conservation and future viability of the golden jackal populations. Some sections of core areas are bisected by roads, where most vehicle collisions with grey wolf and golden jackal occurred. To minimize mortality risk, we propose that successful conservation of both species will necessitate integrated landscape-level management, as well as conservation of core areas and corridors and development of mitigation strategies to reduce vehicle collisions.
Publisher: Wildlife Disease Association
Date: 04-2014
DOI: 10.7589/2013-03-064
Abstract: Australian marsupials are thought to be particularly vulnerable to pathologic impacts of Toxoplasma gondii, and they may be similarly affected by Neospora caninum. Pathology due to either organism could be expressed as reduced female reproductive performance. We studied adult female western grey kangaroos (Macropus fuliginosus ocydromus) from suburban Perth, Western Australia, between May 2006 and October 2008. We used indirect fluorescent antibody tests to look for evidence of exposure to T. gondii and N. caninum in M. fuliginosus ocydromus and tested the association between their reproductive performance and a positive test result. Although 20% of plasma s les collected from 102 female kangaroos were positive for T. gondii and 18% were positive for N. caninum, we found no association between positive results and reproductive performance. Further study will be required to clarify if, and under what circumstances, T. gondii and N. caninum are pathogenic to macropod marsupials.
Publisher: Pensoft Publishers
Date: 28-07-2015
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2001
DOI: 10.1071/WR00014
Abstract: Trapping was conducted over three years on Boullanger and Whitlock Islands in Jurien Bay (Western Australia), to establish the habitat and diet of the dibbler (Parantechinus apicalis), an endangered marsupial. Habitat preference was determined by conducting a single-factor ANOVA of the trapping success rate for P. apicalis captured at each trap site. The diet was investigated by scat analysis. On Boullanger Island there was no significant difference between trapping success rate in the different habitats. However, on Whitlock Island, significantly greater trapping success rates were recorded in the dunal scrubland dominated by Nitraria billardierei and foredune heath than in succulent heath. Scats contained arthropod (65%) and some vegetable (25%) matter, confirming that island P. apicalis are chiefly insectivorous and rarely eat vertebrate prey.
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 20-01-2015
DOI: 10.1111/ACV.12189
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2018
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2019
DOI: 10.1071/AM17041
Abstract: A salvage translocation of western brush wallabies (Notamacropus irma (Jourdan, 1837)) was a condition of approval to build a new runway at Jandakot Airport, Western Australia. Since little is known about this endemic Western Australian species, the translocation presented a valuable opportunity to gain information on the species after release into Harry Waring Marsupial Reserve, a 260-ha reserve where these animals had been recorded previously. We aimed to gain information on the biology and ecology of the species and follow the movement of in iduals tracked with Global Positioning System (GPS) collars over six months to determine their short-term survival, home-range establishment, overlap in home range between in iduals, and habitat utilisation in the reserve. Weekly mean home-range estimates did not differ between males (10.0±9.7 (s.d.) ha, 95% KDE, n=6) and females (12.1±6.1 (s.d.) ha, 95% KDE, n=5) (P=0.473). Some males had 67–70% overlap in home ranges with some females, but substantial distances maintained between in iduals (from 123±110m to 292±303m) confirmed the solitary nature of the species. Western brush wallabies preferred Banksia spp. woodlands, possibly due to the availability of canopy cover, and some specific understorey associations, such as Hibbertia hypericoides, that form part of their diet. Our study highlighted the importance of understanding the home-range establishment and vegetation preferences of translocated animals that will inform the planning of future translocations.
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2015
DOI: 10.1071/WR14247
Abstract: Context Extrapolation of knowledge for threatened taxa between parts of their range that are disconnected and/or ecologically erse can result in significant sources of error that undermine the effectiveness of conservation efforts. Aims We investigated the risks associated with extrapolation of ecological information across environmental gradients, using the quokka (Setonix brachyurus) as a case study. Information documented in the northern part of its range is currently used to manage this species across its range in south-western Australia. We examined the suitability of this approach by developing a habitat suitability model (HSM) for the quokka in the southernmost areas of its range and comparing this with existing knowledge for the species. Methods We surveyed 327 sites, representative of a range of ecotypes, for presence/absence of quokkas. Occupancy models were applied to select a subset of habitat variables that best predicted occupancy patterns. Key results Occupancy patterns were influenced by complex vegetation structure, low levels of woody debris and habitat patchiness. HSMs developed for quokkas in the north could not predict occupancy patterns in the south. Significant fragmentation of subpopulations was observed due to patchiness in the availability of suitable habitat. Conclusions The choice of predictor variables in HSMs that are not transferrable between regions could contribute to inappropriate management of habitat for quokkas and an increased risk of local extinctions. In addition, failure to consider processes that affect preferred habitat variables could contribute to the segregation of habitat patches and intervening distances that are too great for successful dispersal, immigration and recolonisation processes. Implications The extrapolation of HSMs between geographical areas can increase the risk of outcomes that are detrimental to the conservation of threatened species. Where such extrapolation is necessary, actions guided by the HSMs should be implemented in a management framework that can detect adverse effects, allow for inclusion of new ecological information and explicitly consider the limitations and assumptions of this approach. In addition, perceptions of habitat fragmentation need to include processes such as fire regimes and feral animals that affect the availability and connectivity of habitat and have the potential to adversely affect population viability.
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2011
DOI: 10.1071/AM10054
Abstract: We used cementum lines from a s le of possums to calibrate tooth wear patterns in free-ranging common brushtail possums (Trichosurus vulpecula) to estimate of the age structure of a wild population of the species living at the Perth Zoo, Western Australia. We assessed patterns of tooth wear and incremental cementum lines in teeth extracted from 40 possums via necropsy. Rank regression for non-parametric data revealed a weak relationship between the number of cementum lines per tooth (y), which was assumed to correspond to the age of the possums (in years), and tooth wear (males: age = 0.51x + 3.4, r2 = 0.098, n = 27 females: age = 1.17x + 0.35, r2 = 0.345, n = 45). We used these relationships and the tooth wear pattern of 149 live possums caught at Perth Zoo to develop an estimate of the age structure of the population. Most (63.1%) possums were between 4 and 6 years of age. Very few young (1–2 years) or old (6–8 years) possums were caught at Perth Zoo. These results yielded an approximate age distribution for possums within Perth Zoo and should be used with caution because the relationship between the number of cementum lines and tooth wear was weak.
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2007
DOI: 10.1071/WR06140
Abstract: ERADICAT®, a sausage-type meat bait, has been developed for use in managing feral cat (Felis catus) populations throughout Western Australia. However, concern about potential exposure of non-target species to bait-delivered toxicants has led to the development of a technique to more specifically target feral cats using a pellet. Research into the consumption, by cats and native animals, of toxic pellets implanted within the ERADICAT® bait has been simulated using ball bearings as a substitute pellet. Results from our work indicate that encapsulating the toxicant may pose less risk of poisoning to chuditch (Dasyurus geoffroii), woylies (Bettongia pencillata) and southern brown bandicoots (Isoodon obesulus) as they consumed significantly fewer ball bearings (P = 0.003, .001, .001) than semi-feral cats (P = 0.07). Theoretically, a toxic pellet will not reduce the effectiveness of the ERADICAT® bait as there was no significant difference between consumption of baits and the consumption of ball bearings in feral cats (P = 0.07). Therefore, baits containing a toxic pellet have the potential to be a more selective method to control feral cats.
Publisher: Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Date: 08-2018
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2010
DOI: 10.1071/AM09029
Abstract: Public opposition to culling has generated interest in wildlife management through fertility control. Temporary, non-invasive methods of fertility control, such as by xenobiotics, can be best employed with an understanding of the target species’ breeding cycle. We used head length to calculate the conception date of 136 pouch-young of western grey kangaroos (Macropus fuliginosus ocydromus) from four sites around Perth, Western Australia, between May 2006 and October 2008: Thomsons Lake Nature Reserve (n = 80), Harry Waring Marsupial Reserve (n = 11), Melville Glades Golf Club (n = 29), and Marangaroo Golf Course (n = 16). In total, 78% of all pouch-young were conceived in the months of December–February, 11% in November, 6% in March, and less than 2% in each of October, April and May. We examined the ovaries of 134 females culled from Thomsons Lake Nature Reserve during the months of May–July 2006. Only seven ovaries had a follicle of at least 5 mm and none had an active corpus luteum. These data indicate that the breeding activity M. f. ocydromus is restricted almost exclusively to the months of November–February. A practical application of this finding is that temporary fertility controls applied early in October will provide a full year of birth control if they remain active for seven months.
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2010
DOI: 10.1071/WR10080
Abstract: Context Although road mortality has the potential to affect the fate of populations, it is often confounded with other forms of environmental change. Therefore determining its impact separately from other factors is difficult because it requires an understanding of how road mortalities affect age- and sex-specific survival rates. Aims We determined the impact of high numbers of road-kills and habitat modification on the growth and survival of the population of tammar wallabies (Macropus eugenii) on Garden Island, off the coast of Western Australia. The increased supply of food from large areas of fertilised and irrigated lawns on a naval base was expected to increase the population growth rate (λ) and the road-kills were expected to offset the population response. Methods We conducted a mark-and-recapture study over three years to estimate rates of survival, reproduction and population growth rates in areas of the island that were either heavily affected by the presence of a naval base that included a network of roads and buildings, close enough to the naval base that animals could be affected by the disturbance there, and completely unaffected and lacking major roads or buildings. All road-kills were collected to estimate the impact of road mortality on the survival and growth rates of the population. Key results The growth rate, λ, for the population on the naval base was 1.02 ± 0.083 (s.e.) per year, which was much higher than in an area of adjacent bushland at 0.92 ± 0.065 per year and in undisturbed bushland at 0.93 ± 0.100 per year. When the impact of road mortality was removed, λ increased to 1.15 ± 0.101 per year on the naval base and 0.96 ± 0.076 per year in the bushland adjacent to the naval base. On the naval base road mortality reduced survival rates of one-year-old and adult animals by 0.14 ± 0.087 and 0.12 ± 0.012 per year (mean ± s.e.). Conclusions Road mortality counteracted the increase in the size of the tammar population caused by the habitat modification on the naval base. The impact of road mortality on the adjacent bushland population may result in its long-term decline, as the population may not be able to recover from the reduction in survival rates. Implications Road mortality has the potential to threaten susceptible populations but its impact should be quantified so that mitigation measures can be implemented where they will achieve the greatest benefits.
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 15-02-2015
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2016
DOI: 10.1071/WF15138
Abstract: Prescribed burning is frequently advocated as a means of managing habitat for threatened species. We studied effects of fire on the quokka (Setonix brachyurus), a species currently used as a focal species for planning prescribed burns in the southern forests of Western Australia. We examined (i) the recolonisation of burnt areas (ii) the refuge value of unburnt vegetation and (iii) fire prediction variables that may help to guide fire planning to achieve desired habitat management outcomes. We hypothesised that fire regimes promoting vegetation structure and patchiness of burnt and unburnt vegetation would result in more rapid recolonisation of burnt areas by quokkas. Occupancy modelling identified the most important variables for recolonisation as retention of vertical vegetation structure and multiple unburnt patches across % of the total area. These outcomes were associated with high surface moisture, low soil dryness and slow fire rates of spread. Intense wildfire resulted in complete loss of vegetation structure and a lack of unburnt patches, which contributed to these areas remaining uncolonised. Burning with high moisture differentials, maximising the effectiveness of edaphic barriers to fire, retaining unburnt vegetation and maintaining vegetation structure were found to be important elements of fire regimes in this region.
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 2003
DOI: 10.1071/EA02092
Abstract: The effect of milking intervals of 4–20 h and of milking frequencies of 1–6 times a day on the rate of secretion of milk and milk components was determined in 2 breeds of sheep unselected for dairy production, the Australian Merino and the New Zealand Poll Dorset. The rate of milk secretion was greater after short intervals and after increased milking frequencies, indicating that in sheep the rate of milk secretion in the short term is regulated by a local feedback mechanism. After short intervals between milkings, the fat concentration in the milk was higher (99.5 ± 6.21 g/kg) and the protein concentration was lower (about 65 ± 2.89 g/kg) than after long intervals between milkings. This was not due to the presence of residual milk left in the mammary glands as subsequent experiments gave similar results when the residual milk was removed with the aid of oxytocin. We obtained similar responses if ewes were exposed to a series of 4 consecutive milkings to remove possible carry-over effects of the previous interval and achieve a constant volume of residual milk. We concluded that in sheep the rate of secretion of fat decreases while that of protein increases with time after milking and that the synthesis of fat and protein are controlled by at least 2 different mechanisms. This might be due to the fact that, unlike dairy cows and goats, sheep have not been subjected to selective pressure for dairy production.
Publisher: Oxford University Press (OUP)
Date: 04-09-2015
Publisher: Cambridge University Press (CUP)
Date: 22-03-2018
Publisher: Wiley
Date: 06-2004
DOI: 10.1890/03-3091
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 11-2009
Publisher: MDPI AG
Date: 31-12-2019
DOI: 10.3390/ANI10010073
Abstract: The distribution area of moose in China has been shrinking back toward the north and northeast because of climate change and human disturbance, and the population number has been declining. Between 2011 and 2015, we studied moose at six sites in the northeast of China during the snowy seasons. We collected fecal s les and plant s les that were used to estimate population densities for moose, as well as their macro-nutrient selection. Out of a total of 257 fecal s les collected at six sites, we identified a total of 120 in idual moose (57 females and 63 males). The population density (moose/km2 ± SE) was highest at Hanma with 0.305 ± 0.064 moose/km2 and lowest at Meitian with only 0.028 ± 0.013 moose/km2. Forage availability was different among sites, with the lowest availability at Mohe (58.17 number/20 m2) and highest was Zhanhe (250.44 number/20 m2). Moose at Zhanhe, Hanma, and Nanwenghe had a balanced diet with higher N:C (1:7), while at Meitian, Shuanghe and Mohe the N:C was 1:8. Our results indicate that the southern areas had low forage quality and quantity and this may be the reason for the distribution of the population of moose shrinking northward.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 09-2012
DOI: 10.1016/J.YGCEN.2012.06.013
Abstract: Details of the reproductive endocrinology of the dibbler, Parantechinus apicalis, an endangered member of the Family Dasyuridae, are presented from two geographically-separated populations, living either on the mainland or on islands in Jurien Bay, Western Australia. Plasma free cortisol in males measured in the island population during 1998/9 did not differ between the breeding and non-breeding season, but during the March rut in 2000, when males died after breeding, free cortisol levels were significantly raised. Post-mating mortality in dibbler males is facultative, rather than obligatory and the cortisol data implicate the same physiological sequelae described in other dasyurids. In females, a single annual oestrus was recorded during late summer to autumn in both populations with an onset earlier by 12 days in the mainland animals. Faecal steroids excreted as progesterone metabolites (PM) and oestradiol-17β were measured during the annual oestrous period and showed significantly higher PM concentrations in island animals. Oestradiol, although raised, was not different between the two populations. A profile of PM levels throughout gestation revealed a small peak at the time of ovulation, followed by slowly rising levels to peak 8 days before birth, indicating slow development of the corpora lutea. Using collective data, the presumptive day of ovulation could be identified, allowing the calculation of a presumptive gestation length of 45days in dibblers from mainland populations. This gestation length compares with that of a related species, Pseudantechinus macdonnellensis, reported at 45-55 days. A surprising finding is the significantly shorter gestation period of approximately 38 days in island animals compared with those from the mainland. This and other differences between reproductive parameters of island and mainland populations are discussed in the context of the 'island syndrome'.
Publisher: Public Library of Science (PLoS)
Date: 14-02-2018
Publisher: CSIRO Publishing
Date: 1997
DOI: 10.1071/EA96014
Abstract: Summary. The quality of sheep milk is paramount in controlling the quality of dairy products made from it. We describe the factors affecting the quality of the milk of sheep milked commercially for dairy production, with an emphasis on Australia and New Zealand. Some of these factors, such as the genotype of the sheep, are difficult to control, but others are environmental factors, such as the nutrition and management of the milking flock, and can be manipulated by the farmer to produce high quality milk. To obtain high quality milk, ewes must be milked out regularly and completely, which implies adopting appropriate milking routines and milking equipment. It is also important that the ewes are healthy and receive adequate diets. Physiologically the ewes must be in an appropriate stage of lactation because at the very beginning and at the end of lactation the milk is of poor manufacturing quality, even though it has high fat and protein content. These factors and their influence on milk quality for the processing of milk into dairy products, especially cheese, are described and critically examined.
Publisher: Elsevier BV
Date: 2006
No related grants have been discovered for Roberta Bencini.