Only the intended, microchipped animal can gain access, reducing predation and competition. Testing is then done to determine if the bandicoots react differently after predator avoidance, compared with the initial recognition dataīandicoots are also trained to use a microchip-automated door to access a nestbox (safe refuge). Released animals’ can be tracked to observe whether the training has an effect on reintroduction success to the wild, and which training is more effective.ĭuring predator avoidance training, bandicoots are again exposed to the predator, and an alarm call is played in addition to an unpleasant stimulus (such as a foam pellet from a toy pellet gun), to encourage the bandicoot away from the predator. Time budgets are used to compare study animals’ behaviour before, during and after exposure to predator stimulus. Time budgets are used to compare the study animals’ behaviours during a baseline period, and then during exposure to predators (e.g. Wild-caught northern brown bandicoots, Isoodon macrourus, are brought into the Hidden Vale Wildlife Centre, where they undergo testing to determine recognition of predators using both scent and visual cues (faeces, taxidermied model, and a live-predator).
#Top australian predators trial#
Trial microchip-automated technology as a method for providing safe refuge to wildlife.Investigate the effectiveness of predator avoidance training for bandicoots.Determine whether Australian mammals have an innate fear of introduced predators.Examine the relationship between Australian mammals and predators.microchip-automated devices could provide released (microchipped) animals with areas of refuge inaccessible by predators. Predator avoidance training can be combined with technology to increase success of release e.g. There are various methods of predator avoidance training, including olfactory and visual cues, usually paired with something unpleasant to encourage the native animals away from the perceived threat (Moseby et al. This is particularly relevant for Australian wildlife, where native species appear to be naïve to introduced predators and fail to recognise the predator as a threat, or exhibit an ineffective response (Cox & Lima 2006). One method of combatting these high extinction rates and failed reintroduction programs includes training native animals to avoid introduced predators. However, ongoing predation by these introduced predators remains the downfall of most of these programs (Armstrong et al. This high extinction rate and reduction in wild populations has been the motivation behind many wildlife reintroduction programs. Following the introduction of cats, foxes and other exotic predators, Australia now has the world’s worst mammal extinction record (Johnson 2006). Native wildlife in Australia have faced devastating effects from introduced predators, as our fauna has not evolved concurrently with eutherian predators (Salo et al.
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