Burrows with resources have greater visitation and may enhance mange transmission among wombats
Alynn M. Martin
A E , Hayley Ricardo B , Adrianna Tompros C , Tamieka A. Fraser A D , Adam Polkinghorne D and Scott Carver A
A School of Natural Sciences, University of Tasmania, Private Bag 55, Sandy Bay, Tas. 7005, Australia.
B Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research, North Dunedin, Dunedin 9016, New Zealand.
C Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO 80523, USA.
D Animal Research Centre, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sippy Downs, Qld 4556, Australia.
E Corresponding author. Email: alynn.martin@utas.edu.au
Australian Mammalogy 41(2) 287-290 https://doi.org/10.1071/AM18013
Submitted: 15 April 2018 Accepted: 12 December 2018 Published: 14 January 2019
Abstract
Environmental exposure to Sarcoptes scabiei mites in burrows is considered the dominant mechanism of sarcoptic mange transmission among wombats. We document elevated activity of bare-nosed wombats at a burrow with subterranean water access relative to burrows without this resource, suggesting that some burrows may contribute more to mange transmission than others.
Additional keywords: behaviour, disease, ectoparasite, environment, parasitology, Vombatidae.
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