Rachel Taylor, A. Coetsee, R. Doyle, D. Sutherland, M. Parrott
Globally, predator aversion training has assisted naive prey species to learn to evade introduced predators, improving translocation success. Eastern barred bandicoots (Perameles gunnii; hereafter ‘bandicoot’) are extinct on mainland Australia due to habitat loss and introduced predators, and are the focus of a long-term captive breeding and reintroduction program. Our trials showed that captive bandicoots failed to recognise cat (Felis catus) scents as belonging to a predator, suggesting prey naivety towards cats. We trialled five stimuli to elicit short-term fear behaviour in bandicoots. An automatic compressed air spray and automatic bin lid were most effective. We coupled these stimuli with cat urine during predator aversion training and presented them to bandicoots on three occasions. Bandicoots learnt to avoid the area containing cat urine, suggesting bandicoots are capable of learning new behaviours rapidly. Six trained and five untrained captive bandicoots where released onto Summerland Peninsular, Phillip Island (with cat densities at 1.1 cats/km2). Both had high survival and recapture rates 7 months after release. Training endangered species to avoid introduced predators could assist with long-term species recovery.
{"title":"Sniffing out danger: rapid antipredator training of an endangered marsupial","authors":"Rachel Taylor, A. Coetsee, R. Doyle, D. Sutherland, M. Parrott","doi":"10.1071/am20048","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1071/am20048","url":null,"abstract":"Globally, predator aversion training has assisted naive prey species to learn to evade introduced predators, improving translocation success. Eastern barred bandicoots (Perameles gunnii; hereafter ‘bandicoot’) are extinct on mainland Australia due to habitat loss and introduced predators, and are the focus of a long-term captive breeding and reintroduction program. Our trials showed that captive bandicoots failed to recognise cat (Felis catus) scents as belonging to a predator, suggesting prey naivety towards cats. We trialled five stimuli to elicit short-term fear behaviour in bandicoots. An automatic compressed air spray and automatic bin lid were most effective. We coupled these stimuli with cat urine during predator aversion training and presented them to bandicoots on three occasions. Bandicoots learnt to avoid the area containing cat urine, suggesting bandicoots are capable of learning new behaviours rapidly. Six trained and five untrained captive bandicoots where released onto Summerland Peninsular, Phillip Island (with cat densities at 1.1 cats/km2). Both had high survival and recapture rates 7 months after release. Training endangered species to avoid introduced predators could assist with long-term species recovery.","PeriodicalId":48851,"journal":{"name":"Australian Mammalogy","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2021-07-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"46030654","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Allie Richardson, Sean I. FitzGibbon, B. Barth, A. Gillett, William Ellis
We evaluated long range antennae and associated solar-powered global positioning system (GPS) ear tags designed for use with domestic cattle, as a novel system for monitoring ranging behaviour of the koala (Phascolarctos cinereus). The mean location error of our GPS tags was 33.9 m (s.e. = 0.46). The tags were relatively light (30 g), reported eight locations per day when attached to koala radio-collars and had an operating life that exceeded our study period (8 months). Deployed as a stand-alone, solar powered, remote system, this technology can provide a viable option for wildlife tracking projects.
{"title":"Application of low-power wide-area network GPS to koala monitoring","authors":"Allie Richardson, Sean I. FitzGibbon, B. Barth, A. Gillett, William Ellis","doi":"10.1071/am21001","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1071/am21001","url":null,"abstract":"We evaluated long range antennae and associated solar-powered global positioning system (GPS) ear tags designed for use with domestic cattle, as a novel system for monitoring ranging behaviour of the koala (Phascolarctos cinereus). The mean location error of our GPS tags was 33.9 m (s.e. = 0.46). The tags were relatively light (30 g), reported eight locations per day when attached to koala radio-collars and had an operating life that exceeded our study period (8 months). Deployed as a stand-alone, solar powered, remote system, this technology can provide a viable option for wildlife tracking projects.","PeriodicalId":48851,"journal":{"name":"Australian Mammalogy","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2021-07-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"47569529","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Collars are an attachment method commonly used to mount data collection devices on wildlife. Removal of collars at the completion of a data collection period is a high priority for the purpose of animal welfare, but retrieval of collars can often be difficult. Weak links or other drop-off devices are used by researchers with the intention of improving collar retrieval rates, and for mitigation of animal welfare risks associated with collar entanglement. However, the design and effectiveness of such devices is not regularly reported in detail in the literature. We surveyed wildlife researchers to collate and communicate their experiences with weak links, and assess their attitudes towards collaring Australian mammals in the 35–5500 g weight range. Forty-five researchers responded to the survey, of whom 25 had used weak links in at least one study. There was very little consistency between the performances of weak links, with researchers finding them effective in less than half of the scenarios reported upon. Outcomes varied depending on the type of material used for the link, the species being collared, and the environmental conditions under which the collars were being deployed. We recommend (1) researchers test weak links prior to deployment; (2) users to not rely upon weak links as the primary method of collar retrieval; and (3) continued communication of design and outcomes of all radio-collars deployed including those with weak links.
{"title":"A pain in the neck: weak links are not a reliable release mechanism for radio-collars","authors":"K. Rayner, M. Sullivan, C. Sims, S. Cowen","doi":"10.1071/am20065","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1071/am20065","url":null,"abstract":"Collars are an attachment method commonly used to mount data collection devices on wildlife. Removal of collars at the completion of a data collection period is a high priority for the purpose of animal welfare, but retrieval of collars can often be difficult. Weak links or other drop-off devices are used by researchers with the intention of improving collar retrieval rates, and for mitigation of animal welfare risks associated with collar entanglement. However, the design and effectiveness of such devices is not regularly reported in detail in the literature. We surveyed wildlife researchers to collate and communicate their experiences with weak links, and assess their attitudes towards collaring Australian mammals in the 35–5500 g weight range. Forty-five researchers responded to the survey, of whom 25 had used weak links in at least one study. There was very little consistency between the performances of weak links, with researchers finding them effective in less than half of the scenarios reported upon. Outcomes varied depending on the type of material used for the link, the species being collared, and the environmental conditions under which the collars were being deployed. We recommend (1) researchers test weak links prior to deployment; (2) users to not rely upon weak links as the primary method of collar retrieval; and (3) continued communication of design and outcomes of all radio-collars deployed including those with weak links.","PeriodicalId":48851,"journal":{"name":"Australian Mammalogy","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2021-07-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43474642","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The low trap success (2–4%) of northern hairy-nosed wombats (Lasiorhinus krefftii) has proven a considerable limiting factor to their conservation and management. This project aimed to utilise expert knowledge and experience to redesign current traps and deployment to improve trap success, reduce by-catch and required resources, and improve safety for field staff and captured fauna. A trial of several trap variations and deployment strategies was conducted at Epping Forest National Park (Scientific). Results indicated new trap design and deployment strategies contributed to improving outcomes against all the aims. Most notably, an increased trap success of 10.5% was detected, significantly improving capabilities to achieve conservation and management outcomes.
{"title":"How do you trap a shy wombat? Trialling new trap designs for northern hairy-nosed wombats (Lasiorhinus krefftii)","authors":"J. Molyneux, D. Harper, A. Horsup","doi":"10.1071/am21003","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1071/am21003","url":null,"abstract":"The low trap success (2–4%) of northern hairy-nosed wombats (Lasiorhinus krefftii) has proven a considerable limiting factor to their conservation and management. This project aimed to utilise expert knowledge and experience to redesign current traps and deployment to improve trap success, reduce by-catch and required resources, and improve safety for field staff and captured fauna. A trial of several trap variations and deployment strategies was conducted at Epping Forest National Park (Scientific). Results indicated new trap design and deployment strategies contributed to improving outcomes against all the aims. Most notably, an increased trap success of 10.5% was detected, significantly improving capabilities to achieve conservation and management outcomes.","PeriodicalId":48851,"journal":{"name":"Australian Mammalogy","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2021-07-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43952488","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
S. Kearney, P. Kern, S. Murphy, H. Janetzki, A. Kutt
Predator diet can provide important data to inform management actions as well as an enhanced understanding of the fauna of a region. The diet of dingo (Canis lupus dingo), feral cat (Felis catus) and eastern barn owl (Tyto delicatula) were compared using scat, stomach and pellets from a significant conservation reserve in southwest Queensland. Dingo diet was dominated by macropods, while the diet of feral cat and barn owl was dominated by small mammals. We found no remains of threatened species but recommend continued monitoring of predator diet as a tool to assist management.
{"title":"The diet of dingoes, feral cats and eastern barn owl on Pullen Pullen Reserve, southwest Queensland","authors":"S. Kearney, P. Kern, S. Murphy, H. Janetzki, A. Kutt","doi":"10.1071/am21008","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1071/am21008","url":null,"abstract":"Predator diet can provide important data to inform management actions as well as an enhanced understanding of the fauna of a region. The diet of dingo (Canis lupus dingo), feral cat (Felis catus) and eastern barn owl (Tyto delicatula) were compared using scat, stomach and pellets from a significant conservation reserve in southwest Queensland. Dingo diet was dominated by macropods, while the diet of feral cat and barn owl was dominated by small mammals. We found no remains of threatened species but recommend continued monitoring of predator diet as a tool to assist management.","PeriodicalId":48851,"journal":{"name":"Australian Mammalogy","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2021-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"45695226","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Rock-wallabies occupy outcrops, escarpments and cliffs that incorporate structurally complex refuges; because of this, local populations present methodological challenges for monitoring purposes. We describe the development and adaptive modification of a survey technique intended to measure changes in rock-wallaby activity on a site-by-site basis. Twenty spatially independent field sites were collectively sampled across two geological strata using transects consisting of regularly spaced sampling points, with concentric series of fixed-radius circular plots at each sampling point used to count numbers of fresh/recent and/or older rock-wallaby scats. The presence/absence of fresh and/or recently deposited scats was identified as likely to be the more sensitive measure of changing use. Indexes of Activity (IoA) at each field site were subsequently obtained by transect-based sampling at 10 m intervals using 2 m fixed-radius circular plots and recording the presence/absence of fresh/recent scats therein. Derived rock-wallaby IoA ranged between 0.13 and 0.94 across the 20 sites and were approximately normally distributed. Central tendency measures associated with the IoA metrics imply some potential to develop management-themed activity thresholds. Further refinement and potential applications of the approach are discussed.
{"title":"Informing the space between zero and one: a standardised, scat-based approach to monitoring changes in habitat use by brush-tailed rock-wallabies (Petrogale penicillata)","authors":"Stephen S. Phillips, K. Howard, Jade Krause","doi":"10.1071/AM20056","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1071/AM20056","url":null,"abstract":"Rock-wallabies occupy outcrops, escarpments and cliffs that incorporate structurally complex refuges; because of this, local populations present methodological challenges for monitoring purposes. We describe the development and adaptive modification of a survey technique intended to measure changes in rock-wallaby activity on a site-by-site basis. Twenty spatially independent field sites were collectively sampled across two geological strata using transects consisting of regularly spaced sampling points, with concentric series of fixed-radius circular plots at each sampling point used to count numbers of fresh/recent and/or older rock-wallaby scats. The presence/absence of fresh and/or recently deposited scats was identified as likely to be the more sensitive measure of changing use. Indexes of Activity (IoA) at each field site were subsequently obtained by transect-based sampling at 10 m intervals using 2 m fixed-radius circular plots and recording the presence/absence of fresh/recent scats therein. Derived rock-wallaby IoA ranged between 0.13 and 0.94 across the 20 sites and were approximately normally distributed. Central tendency measures associated with the IoA metrics imply some potential to develop management-themed activity thresholds. Further refinement and potential applications of the approach are discussed.","PeriodicalId":48851,"journal":{"name":"Australian Mammalogy","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2021-06-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"48759243","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The high extinction risk of Australian marsupials has been attributed to their failure to recognise novel predators, the application of inappropriate antipredator responses, and advanced hunting strategies of novel predators. This study is a preliminary attempt to explore whether the Lumholtz’ tree-kangaroo (Dendrolagus lumholtzi) (a) is able to recognise odour cues from different predators as threats, and (b) possesses predator-archetype specific antipredator responses. A small number of available captive tree-kangaroos were exposed to faecal odours from two extant predators of different archetypes (python, dingo), a regionally extinct predator which closely matches past terrestrial predators (Tasmanian devil), and a novel predator (domestic dog). Lavender oil was used as non-predator novel odour and water as control. Results suggest that all subjects associated the presented odours with a threat, albeit to different degrees, but did not display predator-archetype specific responses. It appears that this species applies an ancestral antipredator response of flight-on-the ground when encountering predators, including novel predators. Although the results need to be confirmed with more animals, further studies on the vulnerability of Australian prey to novel predators should take the ancestral history of Australian prey species into account.
{"title":"When ancestry haunts – can evolutionary links to ancestors affect vulnerability of Australian prey to introduced predators? A preliminary study","authors":"S. Heise-Pavlov, A. Bradley","doi":"10.1071/am20061","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1071/am20061","url":null,"abstract":"The high extinction risk of Australian marsupials has been attributed to their failure to recognise novel predators, the application of inappropriate antipredator responses, and advanced hunting strategies of novel predators. This study is a preliminary attempt to explore whether the Lumholtz’ tree-kangaroo (Dendrolagus lumholtzi) (a) is able to recognise odour cues from different predators as threats, and (b) possesses predator-archetype specific antipredator responses. A small number of available captive tree-kangaroos were exposed to faecal odours from two extant predators of different archetypes (python, dingo), a regionally extinct predator which closely matches past terrestrial predators (Tasmanian devil), and a novel predator (domestic dog). Lavender oil was used as non-predator novel odour and water as control. Results suggest that all subjects associated the presented odours with a threat, albeit to different degrees, but did not display predator-archetype specific responses. It appears that this species applies an ancestral antipredator response of flight-on-the ground when encountering predators, including novel predators. Although the results need to be confirmed with more animals, further studies on the vulnerability of Australian prey to novel predators should take the ancestral history of Australian prey species into account.","PeriodicalId":48851,"journal":{"name":"Australian Mammalogy","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2021-06-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"43495617","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Hannah E. Anderson, Brooke Richards, William Ross, R. Palmer
Rothschild’s rock-wallaby (Petrogale rothschildi) is endemic to the Pilbara and Ashburton regions of Western Australia. This large species of rock-wallaby is currently not recognised as threatened but is poorly known. Feral cats are a serious threat to many mainland Australian mammals, including some species of rock-wallaby, however their impact on P. rothschildi is largely unknown. Here we provide the first account of feral cat predation on Rothschild’s rock-wallaby, which was confirmed via genetic analysis. Common rock rats were abundant at the time and are the primary prey for cats, suggesting this was an incidental predation event by this highly opportunistic predator.
{"title":"Feral cat (Felis catus) predation confirmed for Rothschild","authors":"Hannah E. Anderson, Brooke Richards, William Ross, R. Palmer","doi":"10.1071/am20069","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1071/am20069","url":null,"abstract":"Rothschild’s rock-wallaby (Petrogale rothschildi) is endemic to the Pilbara and Ashburton regions of Western Australia. This large species of rock-wallaby is currently not recognised as threatened but is poorly known. Feral cats are a serious threat to many mainland Australian mammals, including some species of rock-wallaby, however their impact on P. rothschildi is largely unknown. Here we provide the first account of feral cat predation on Rothschild’s rock-wallaby, which was confirmed via genetic analysis. Common rock rats were abundant at the time and are the primary prey for cats, suggesting this was an incidental predation event by this highly opportunistic predator.","PeriodicalId":48851,"journal":{"name":"Australian Mammalogy","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2021-06-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42929026","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The heterogeneity of resource distribution in arid environments plays an important role in habitat selection by consumers. The productivity of the riparian zones of intermittently flowing creeks is typically prolonged, relative to the hinterland, as moisture and nutrients concentrate there. Short-beaked echidnas, Tachyglossus aculeatus, sustain arid populations, attributed to ant and termite availability, low predation, and an ability to exploit habitat remnants. However, the scale of their movements in arid habitats is poorly understood. Thus, we investigated echidna home ranges and the importance of food and shelter availability in habitat selection over one winter. We focussed on the riparian zone of a creek at Mount Wood in Sturt National Park, north-western New South Wales, Australia. Radio tracking (VHF and GPS), scat and habitat selection analyses were conducted. Mean core and peripheral home range areas were 0.16 and 1.042 km2, respectively, with a mean home range overlap of 0.56 km2. Habitat selection differed between juveniles and adults and may have been driven by prey availability (predominantly ants). The preferred shelter was thick leaf litter. We concluded that habitat selection patterns were driven by prey availability (ants) and shelter (leaf litter).
{"title":"Habitat use over winter by short-beaked echidnas (Tachyglossus aculeatus) at an intermittently flowing creek in arid north-western New South Wales","authors":"J. Lawes, D. Croft","doi":"10.1071/AM20066","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1071/AM20066","url":null,"abstract":"The heterogeneity of resource distribution in arid environments plays an important role in habitat selection by consumers. The productivity of the riparian zones of intermittently flowing creeks is typically prolonged, relative to the hinterland, as moisture and nutrients concentrate there. Short-beaked echidnas, Tachyglossus aculeatus, sustain arid populations, attributed to ant and termite availability, low predation, and an ability to exploit habitat remnants. However, the scale of their movements in arid habitats is poorly understood. Thus, we investigated echidna home ranges and the importance of food and shelter availability in habitat selection over one winter. We focussed on the riparian zone of a creek at Mount Wood in Sturt National Park, north-western New South Wales, Australia. Radio tracking (VHF and GPS), scat and habitat selection analyses were conducted. Mean core and peripheral home range areas were 0.16 and 1.042 km2, respectively, with a mean home range overlap of 0.56 km2. Habitat selection differed between juveniles and adults and may have been driven by prey availability (predominantly ants). The preferred shelter was thick leaf litter. We concluded that habitat selection patterns were driven by prey availability (ants) and shelter (leaf litter).","PeriodicalId":48851,"journal":{"name":"Australian Mammalogy","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2021-04-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"42878293","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
The platypus’s tapered shape and benthic foraging habits predispose it to becoming entangled in encircling rings or loops of plastic, rubber or metal rubbish. Based on 54 cases of litter entanglement recorded in Victorian live-trapping surveys, items may encircle the neck (68%), torso (8%), jaw (2%) or be wrapped bandolier-fashion from in front of a shoulder to behind the opposite foreleg (22%). Entanglement frequency was eight times higher in the greater Melbourne region than in regional Victoria, and was significantly greater in first-year juveniles than in older animals and also in adult/subadult females compared with adult/subadult males. Items recovered from carcasses or from rescued animals that were unlikely to have survived without human intervention included elastic hair-ties, fishing line, a hospital identification wristband, an engine gasket and a plastic ring seal from a food jar; all of these items had cut through skin and (in most cases) deeply into underlying tissue. Up to 1.5% of the platypus residing in the greater Melbourne area and 0.5% of those living in regional Victoria are estimated to be at risk of entanglement-related injuries or death at any point in time.
{"title":"Factors affecting the frequency and outcome of platypus entanglement by human rubbish","authors":"M. Serena, Geoff Williams","doi":"10.1071/AM21004","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1071/AM21004","url":null,"abstract":"The platypus’s tapered shape and benthic foraging habits predispose it to becoming entangled in encircling rings or loops of plastic, rubber or metal rubbish. Based on 54 cases of litter entanglement recorded in Victorian live-trapping surveys, items may encircle the neck (68%), torso (8%), jaw (2%) or be wrapped bandolier-fashion from in front of a shoulder to behind the opposite foreleg (22%). Entanglement frequency was eight times higher in the greater Melbourne region than in regional Victoria, and was significantly greater in first-year juveniles than in older animals and also in adult/subadult females compared with adult/subadult males. Items recovered from carcasses or from rescued animals that were unlikely to have survived without human intervention included elastic hair-ties, fishing line, a hospital identification wristband, an engine gasket and a plastic ring seal from a food jar; all of these items had cut through skin and (in most cases) deeply into underlying tissue. Up to 1.5% of the platypus residing in the greater Melbourne area and 0.5% of those living in regional Victoria are estimated to be at risk of entanglement-related injuries or death at any point in time.","PeriodicalId":48851,"journal":{"name":"Australian Mammalogy","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":1.2,"publicationDate":"2021-04-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"49502497","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"生物学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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