Emergencies are increasing in frequency, magnitude and severity, affecting wildlife populations on a global scale. In Victoria, disasters, including bushfires, floods, heat waves and droughts, affect marsupial populations and the survival of species, with issues expected to increase due to climate and other anthropomorphic changes. Many impacts from disasters are obvious, including animal injury, mortality and displacement, resource loss, habitat destruction and fragmentation, and increased risks from introduced predators. However, many impacts that could significantly affect health and recovery potential for individual animals to entire species – including genetic loss, behaviour change, stress and impacts outside declared emergency areas – are less visible and thus may receive reduced focus and investment. Here, I discuss both visible and less visible impacts of disasters on Victoria’s marsupials, and mitigation strategies required to protect and recover species. More long-term surveys and monitoring, evidence-based actions, adaptive management and preparation for emergencies, underpinned by increased and ongoing investment, are required to meet the challenges of increasing disasters. Greater support to promote healthy wildlife populations and habitats and improve their resilience now will help to protect Victoria’s diverse and remarkable marsupials into the future.
Multiple paternity in litters and a female’s choice of mate can significantly influence siring success and the success and survival of offspring. In captive agile antechinus (Antechinus agilis), a small, carnivorous marsupial that exhibits obligate semelparity, females choose to mate with multiple males and mate choice is profoundly influenced by genetic dissimilarity between mates, not male size. However, female mate choice has not been examined in wild agile antechinus. Our study encompassed one year in which the operational sex ratio was at parity and a second in which the ratio was female biased, and animal weight, survival and litter size were significantly decreased due to severe drought conditions. Using genetic data from 204 pouch young, we show that genetically dissimilar males sired a higher proportion of young when the sex ratio was at parity, but there was no influence of relatedness on siring success during drought conditions. Larger males sired a higher proportion of young in both years, suggesting that female choice may be partially over-ridden by male behaviour. We highlight concerns for semelparous marsupials during increasingly frequent environmental disruptions, including drought, which could influence mate choice behaviours, reproductive success, genetic health and population survival.
Recent catastrophic climate events in Australia that have affected millions of animals across a range of landscapes have initiated a need for planned and coordinated rescue responses. The platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus) is one of Australia’s most iconic and biologically significant species. At a workshop held at Healesville Sanctuary, Victoria, Australia, in 2023, species experts discussed the greatest threats, scenarios where intervention may be required and the types of intervention option that may be suitable for platypuses. We consider drought to be the most concerning event for the species, along with the impact of cumulative events on their habitat over time. Here, we discuss how intervention criteria should consider the degree of habitat impact, the recovery time frame, the genetic importance and local extinction risk of a population, risks to animal welfare, and the capacity requirements and feasibility of resourcing any action. Suitable interventions are weighed against potential risks and include the rescue and rehabilitation of displaced individuals, in situ habitat support, and translocation to either temporary ex situ care or inter or intra catchment. Further research is required to address how the platypus responds during and after different climate events, and to different interventions, and to determine which populations are most at risk. The outcomes discussed here and the framework provided should aid in management response decision-making after natural disasters that may impact platypus populations.
The Shingleback Lizard Tiliqua rugosa is a common and well-known skink species throughout much of Australia. Here we describe a novel interaction between a Shingleback Lizard and an agamid (dragon) lizard captured on a motion-triggered camera in Goobang National Park, NSW. The Shingleback is captured carrying the agamid lizard in its mouth, probably demonstrating either predation – not previously reported on agamid lizards – or interspecific competition. Camera traps are a widely used tool for surveying and monitoring wild animals; however, the species captured in this observation were not the target of this camera survey; this highlights the value of motion-triggered cameras for providing unique insights into the behaviour and ecology of both target and non-target species.
Entanglement in fishing gear and marine debris is a global threat to pinnipeds. Successful mitigation requires standardized methods and cooperation. The international Pinniped Entanglement Group (PEG), formed in 2009, is dedicated to this effort, through entanglement prevention, response, and education. Here, we report that at least 76% of pinniped species are affected by entanglement (25 of 33 extant species) with fur seals and sea lions more affected than true seals. Commercial and recreational fishing gear caused more harm than other marine debris. Global maps of entangled pinnipeds indicate that unreported species likely represent data deficiency rather than lack of impact. Entanglement data collection methods affect results, and while standardization is difficult to achieve, transparent and detailed methods will aid robust comparisons to target mitigation. We demonstrate the scale of entanglement threat and provide a contemporary review of the literature, PEG member data and mitigation including outreach and working with industry.
