Sniffing out danger: rapid antipredator training of an endangered marsupial
Rachel Taylor
A D , Amy L. Coetsee B , Rebecca E. Doyle A , Duncan R. Sutherland C and Marissa L. Parrott B
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Science, The University of Melbourne, Flemington Road and Park Drive, Parkville, Vic. 3052, Australia.
B Wildlife Conservation and Science, Zoos Victoria, Elliott Avenue, Parkville, Vic. 3052, Australia.
C Conservation Department, Phillip Island Nature Parks, Cowes, Vic. 3922, Australia.
D Corresponding author. Email: rachel.taylor.ebb21@gmail.com
Australian Mammalogy 44(1) 109-116 https://doi.org/10.1071/AM20048
Submitted: 21 June 2020 Accepted: 6 June 2021 Published: 29 July 2021
Abstract
Globally, predator aversion training has assisted naive prey species to learn to evade introduced predators, improving translocation success. Eastern barred bandicoots (Perameles gunnii; hereafter ‘bandicoot’) are extinct on mainland Australia due to habitat loss and introduced predators, and are the focus of a long-term captive breeding and reintroduction program. Our trials showed that captive bandicoots failed to recognise cat (Felis catus) scents as belonging to a predator, suggesting prey naivety towards cats. We trialled five stimuli to elicit short-term fear behaviour in bandicoots. An automatic compressed air spray and automatic bin lid were most effective. We coupled these stimuli with cat urine during predator aversion training and presented them to bandicoots on three occasions. Bandicoots learnt to avoid the area containing cat urine, suggesting bandicoots are capable of learning new behaviours rapidly. Six trained and five untrained captive bandicoots where released onto Summerland Peninsular, Phillip Island (with cat densities at 1.1 cats/km2). Both had high survival and recapture rates 7 months after release. Training endangered species to avoid introduced predators could assist with long-term species recovery.
Keywords: eastern barred bandicoot, introduced predators, Perameles gunnii, Phillip Island, positive punishment, predator aversion training, prey naivety, scent recognition, translocation success.
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