Training a wild-born marsupial to use microchip-automated devices: the brush-tailed phascogale (Phascogale tapoatafa) as proof of concept
M. C. Edwards![https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1561-1942](/media/client/orcid_16x16.png)
A School of Agriculture and Food Sciences, The University of Queensland, Gatton Campus, Gatton, Qld 4343, Australia.
B Hidden Vale Wildlife Centre, The University of Queensland, Grandchester, Qld 4340, Australia.
C Corresponding author. Email: megan.edwards@uqconnect.edu.au
Australian Mammalogy 41(2) 279-282 https://doi.org/10.1071/AM18017
Submitted: 12 June 2018 Accepted: 18 October 2018 Published: 8 November 2018
Abstract
Microchip-automated feeders and doors allow individualised access to supplementary food and shelter during soft-release of wildlife. A wild-caught brush-tailed phascogale was used to test whether a wild animal could be trained to use microchip-automated devices. The phascogale was trained to use each device in less than a month.
Additional keywords: behaviour, Dasyuridae, marsupial, wildlife management.
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