We review and discuss the outcomes of a workshop to identify research priorities for managing predation on native fauna by introduced predators in the Pilbara bioregion in Western Australia. Control of introduced predators will be most effective if it is implemented at a landscape-scale comprising integrated predator management that considers interspecific (predator) interactions combined with standardised monitoring to measure the effectiveness and benefits of control. Photograph by DBCA.

All Australian quolls are listed as ‘near threatened’ or ‘endangered’ at state, national and international levels, largely due to human-induced threats. We summarise research conducted in captivity on aspects of birth and development, health and disease, and blood and nutrition parameters of quolls. Further research on captive and wild quoll populations will benefit future translocations, reintroductions and conservation. Photograph by Rewilding Australia.

We studied red-necked wallabies in the Grampians National Park between 1974 and 2017. The number of red-necked wallabies at the site increased during this time. They were relatively easy to capture in traps. No individuals made long-distance movements (over 1 km), and males and females were equally likely to stay near where they were captured. One male lived to be approximately 20 years old. Males were much larger than females and used approximately five times as much space. Photograph by Peter Garnick.

The Pilbara form of the leaf-nosed bat (Rhinonicteris aurantia) is under pressure from development and mining and is listed under Commonwealth and State legislation as a vulnerable mammal because there are few suitable roosts in deep caves or historical underground mines available to it. At the permanent Ratty Spring Roost near Paraburdoo, Western Australia, 18 adult bats were fitted with passive integrated transponder tags and their roost entrance activity was monitored for over two years and the movement patterns of the bats were recorded. This is the first activity data for individuals of this conservation-significant species at its roost cave entrances.

Habitat complexity reflects resource availability and predation risk, which influence behaviour. We investigated exploratory behaviour and activity in fawn-footed mosaic-tailed rats (Melomys cervinipes) from two habitats (categorised differently based on vegetation). We tested rats from both sites in four behavioural tests. Mosaic-tailed rats from an abandoned hoop pine plantation were less active, and froze in a light-dark box. Furthermore, females responded differently to males to a novel object and novel sound. We suggest that even small-scale environmental variation affects behaviour. Photograph by Tasmin Ryder.

The fawn-footed mosaic-tailed rat (Melomys cervinipes) is a common Australian rainforest rodent that has long pregnancies and produces small litters. However, once born, the development of pups is fast compared with that of some other Australian species, with all behaviours, including climbing and gripping, being fully developed by Postnatal Day 6. Understanding the biology of mosaic-tailed rats could provide insights into how rarer rainforest rodent species might respond in population size under increasing disturbances. Photograph by Tasmin L. Rymer.

The swamp rat (Rattus lutreolus) was found to be effectively diurnal in south central Victoria. Activity tracked daily temperature cycles throughout the year and was consistent with an energy conservation strategy linked to the species’ unusual diet. Other rodent taxa, including two widespread exotic species were strictly nocturnal yet there was no evidence to suggest that swamp rat activity was affected by the presence or absence of other murids or the risk of predation.

Marsupials require oestrous synchronisation technologies to enable the use of reproductive cells and tissue in threatened species recovery programs. We have been developing an exogenous hormone Hypothalamic–Pituitary–Gonadal protocol for oestrous synchronisation based on protocols developed for synchronised oocyte retrieval in human in vitro fertilisation. We demonstrate that human chorionic gonadotrophin, a critical source of luteinising hormone that is required to induce ovulation in these protocols, is not effective in a model marsupial, the tammar wallaby (Notamacropus eugenii). Photograph by R. R. Witt.

Radio-telemetry remains a popular tool for monitoring the success of wildlife translocations and collars are an efficient method to maximise tag attachment duration. However, some species present a challenge for collar attachment due to their small size and morphology, with important implications for animal welfare. Here we present results of a collaring trial on Shark Bay bandicoots (Perameles bougainville), which found that, if appropriate collar designs are fitted under general anaesthetic, bandicoots can be safely monitored for at least four weeks, although regular collar checks and minor modifications to our design are recommended. Photograph by Fiona Knox/DBCA.

The dispersal of plant seeds via ingestion by a vertebrate animal is an important and advantageous seed dispersal mechanism for many plants, but the extent of seed dispersal by mammals is still relatively unknown in Australia. Our study shows that viable seeds are deposited in the scats of quenda and woylies, indicating that these species may play a larger role in seed dispersal than previously thought.

Platypuses are a species that could disappear without us even realising. Their elusive nature has made monitoring of local populations difficult. Four years of environmental DNA data was collected and compared with historical observational records. After repeated sampling in several waterways where they had previously been observed, we no longer detected their presence, highlighting the urgency to further research this iconic Australian before it is too late. Photograph by T. Brunt.

Three spotted-tailed quolls (Dasyurus maculatus), two from the Hunter region of New South Wales and one from the Byadbo wilderness area of Kosciusko National Park in New South Wales have been identified with unusual white markings on their backs, feet and tails. These colouration patterns have not previously been noted in spotted-tailed quolls, although albino individuals of the species have previously been described. The quolls described in our paper appeared healthy, raising questions of the potential consequences of these markings, and the role of fur patterns of quolls in general.