Population surveys are among the most important tools for conservation research. The present study aimed to compare the results between two different survey methods for Geoffroy’s spider monkeys, and found that the size of the survey area explains differences between them. We make recommendations for the use of sampling methods for arboreal mammals in tropical forests. Photograph by Anja Hutschenreiter.

Hawksbill sea turtles (Eretmochelys imbricata) in the Torres Strait are understudied, with little known on the nesting behaviour, migration, and foraging habitats from which this population originates. We used satellite telemetry to investigate the post-nesting movements of hawksbills, including inter-nesting, migration and foraging behaviours. Our results identified areas for conservation initiatives and inform future management practices for this species. Photograph by Takahiro Shimada.

Habitat use models are powerful tools in the conservation and management of wildlife species. Our study aimed to produce habitat models that predict the probability of use by a declining species, the Gunnison sage-grouse. We have provided the first seasonal habitat models for isolated satellite populations and recommend caution in applying over-arching uniform habitat management prescriptions across the range of the species. Photograph by Bob Cress.

Effective conservation of any species is difficult without a clear picture of population trends. We aimed to improve monitoring of Lumholtz’s tree-kangaroo, a species that is typically hard to detect, showing that thermal imaging technology is more cost-effective than are traditional survey methods. This information can improve the conservation outlook for the tree-kangaroo as well as many other hard-to-detect species. Photograph by Christopher Pocknee.

The role of Australian mammals in seed dispersal is poorly understood. We examined scats of five mammal species from nine sites in Western and South Australia for seeds and then tested the seeds’ viability and germination capacity. All five mammals consumed seeds, 70% of the recovered seeds were viable and five species germinated. Australian mammals play a larger role in seed dispersal than previously considered and this has implications for translocations of these mammal species. Photograph by Bryony Palmer.

Feral cats are thought to be a key factor driving declines of small mammals in northern Australia. However, evidence thus far remains circumstantial and correlative. In this trial, we tested survival of pale field rats, Rattus tunneyi, when translocated into experimental enclosures where access by cats was manipulated. Cats rapidly killed rats in cat-accessible enclosures, demonstrating that even at low densities, feral cats can drive small mammal populations to extinction. Photograph by Ethan Page.

Compensatory mechanisms may arise in overabundant koala populations subject to long-term fertility-control management, leading to increased breeding success in the untreated population and by allowing females to begin breeding at a lower overall body condition. The steady decline in koala densities observed throughout the management period is a good indicator that despite compensatory effects, fertility control has played a role in reducing koala densities to sustainable levels. Photograph by Jane Roberts.