Infectious Disease Surveillance in the Woylie (Bettongia penicillata)

Skogvold, Kim; Warren, K.; Jackson, Bethany; Holyoake, C.; Stalder, Kathryn; Devlin, Joanne M.; Vitali, Simone; Wayne, Adrian F.; Legione, Alistair R.; Robertson, Ian D.; Vaughan-Higgins, Rebecca

doi:10.1007/s10393-017-1254-9

Cited by 3 publications

(2 citation statements)

References 55 publications

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“…The very low seroprevalence of T. gondii in B. penicillata (1.8%) is consistent with previous studies that used similar diagnostic methods (e.g. Parameswaran 2008;Skogvold et al 2017). Antemortem diagnosis of T. gondii, however, is difficult, given the often acute-onset and short-lived serological response to disease (Portas 2019).…”

Section: Mcinnessupporting

confidence: 87%

“…The role of viruses has also been explored, though Pacioni et al (2014) found no evidence of exposure to viral pathogens in several B. penicillata populations, concluding that viral disease was an unlikely cause of the declines. While Skogvold et al (2017) subsequently detected herpesviruses in B. penicillata from Perup Sanctuary, infected hosts (n = 5) did not show signs of disease, thus the clinical significance of infection remains uncertain. The role of other parasites (e.g.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The parasites of free-ranging terrestrial wildlife from Australia’s south-west

Northover,

Godfrey,

Lymbery

et al. 2024

Aust. J. Zool.

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The conservation management of threatened wildlife increasingly relies upon translocations to augment populations. Translocations, however, pose various risks: from the host perspective these include the spread of parasitic disease, whereas from a broader biodiversity perspective translocation may lead to the loss of rare parasites and other dependent fauna. Although Disease Risk Analyses are recommended during translocation planning, knowledge regarding the parasites infecting threatened species or their pathogenicity is often lacking. Between March 2014 and June 2016, woylies (Bettongia penicillata) and sympatric marsupials were screened for the presence of endo- and ectoparasites, during two fauna translocations in south-western Australia. Here, we summarise the parasite taxa identified from B. penicillata, brush-tailed possums (Trichosurus vulpecula hypoleucus) and chuditch (Dasyurus geoffroii), including prevalence data for host, parasite taxon and site. Results from the opportunistic sampling of other species (Isoodon fusciventer, Phascogale tapoatafa wambenger, Tiliqua rugosa and Felis catus) are also presented. New host–parasite records including Hepatozoon spp. from T. v. hypoleucus, Trypanosoma noyesi from T. rugosa, Ixodes australiensis and Ixodes tasmani from D. geoffroii, and I. australiensis and Amblyomma sp. from a P. t. wambenger were identified. This study highlights the importance of monitoring sympatric species, particularly when compiling baseline data of parasite fauna present within translocation sites and enhances our knowledge of parasites infecting terrestrial wildlife within Australia’s south-west, a Global Biodiversity Hotspot.

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Section: Mcinnessupporting

confidence: 87%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The parasites of free-ranging terrestrial wildlife from Australia’s south-west

Northover,

Godfrey,

Lymbery

et al. 2024

Aust. J. Zool.

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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Insuring woylies (Bettongia penicillata ogilbyi) against extinction: establishment of Perup Sanctuary

Harrison,

Thorn,

Maxwell

et al. 2024

Wildlife Res.

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Context Predator free havens are increasingly relied upon to preserve populations of imperilled species, yet despite their substantial cost, the success of these ventures is rarely critically evaluated. Aims Based on 12 years of population monitoring data, we report on the translocation of woylies (Bettongia penicillata ogilbyi) to Perup Sanctuary, a 423 ha predator-free haven in the south west of Western Australia. Methods We built spatially explicit capture–recapture models to estimate population density, population growth rates, and survivorship of woylies inside the sanctuary. Using these estimates, and additional demographic information, we aimed to show key drivers of population density, evaluate the establishment of the sanctuary population against predetermined translocation success criteria, and run simulations of different sampling designs to determine a robust sampling design for future monitoring of this population. Key results The population rapidly increased in the first 3 years (2010–2013), and then fluctuated around a density of ~0.9 woylies ha−1 before declining slightly in recent years to ~0.6 woylies ha−1. All translocation success criteria evaluated were met. The previous 3 months’ rainfall was a key driver of population density and body weight declined over time, indicating that the population may be regulated by food resources. Conclusions Woylies have established and persisted in Perup Sanctuary, and against the criteria, the translocation of woylies into Perup sanctuary is a success. Harvests from this population appear to have been sustainable. We discuss these findings in the context of the Perup Sanctuary, and recommend ongoing monitoring continue to ensure that the population remains viable and well managed. Implications We describe important considerations for the supplementation and harvest of fenced populations, including: the source of animals (selecting free-living individuals over captive ones); the timing of release (releasing more individuals early on may improve establishment probabilities); and rates of harvest (<30% of adults harvested per generation seemeded to be sustainable for woylies in this case). The results from this study can inform the ongoing management of this and other havened populations, to ensure they continue to benefit mammal conservation.

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Seroprevalence of

et al. 2022

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Toxoplasma gondii is a ubiquitous protozoan transmitted by felids and infection, morbidity, and mortality occur in numerous marsupial species. This study explores the relationship between cat exposure and Toxoplasma in burrowing bettongs (Bettongia lesueur) in the Arid Recovery Reserve (ARR), South Australia. We estimated seroprevalence, using a modified agglutination test for T. gondii-specific immunoglobulins, in cat-free and cat-exposed bettong populations. Tissue samples collected opportunistically from bettong carcasses and from cats within and around the reserve were screened for T. gondii DNA using multiplex real-time polymerase chain reaction (M-qPCR). Two cats trapped inside the ARR tested positive (50.0%; 95% CI: 15.0-85.0%). All bettongs tested from the cat-free (n = 48) and cat-exposed (n = 19) exclosures were seronegative (95% CI: 0-7.41% and 0-16.82% respectively). We found no evidence of fatal toxoplasmosis, with all bettong carcasses negative on M-qPCR (n = 11). We propose that T. gondii was not detected in bettongs coexisting with cats primarily due to low exposure of bettongs at the time of sampling, possibly due to poor oocyst viability in arid conditions or low shedding by cats. Ongoing screening throughout high and low rainfall years should be conducted to better establish the risk of Toxoplasma to bettongs in the ARR.

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Infectious Disease Surveillance in the Woylie (Bettongia penicillata)

Cited by 3 publications

References 55 publications

The parasites of free-ranging terrestrial wildlife from Australia’s south-west

The parasites of free-ranging terrestrial wildlife from Australia’s south-west

Insuring woylies (Bettongia penicillata ogilbyi) against extinction: establishment of Perup Sanctuary

Seroprevalence of

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