Australia's alpine areas are particularly vulnerable to climate change, yet we know little about the ecology of some animals living above the snowline. This study examined the foraging patterns and diet of common wombats during winter to help interpret current altitudinal limits. The threshold to foraging in snow was found to be about 100 cm. In the future, grazing animals may be able to inhabit higher altitudes if a warmer climate brings less snow, and this has implications for the grazing-sensitive alpine ecosystem. Photograph by Alison Matthews.

The woylie has been an iconic species for fauna conservation in Australia since it was removed from threatened species lists in 1996 as a result of the successful implementation of its recovery plan. A recent decline in population size prompted a review of its conservation status and an analysis of continued efforts to conserve the species. The fluctuating conservation status of this species serves as an excellent case study demonstrating the achievements and challenges encountered whilst managing a fauna species. Photograph by Adrian Wayne.

Apparent threats posed by emerging diseases often stimulate conservationists to initiate precautionary, but uninformed and costly actions that may have unpredictable and sometimes undesirable outcomes. Under the present and prevailing environmental conditions bovine tuberculosis does not have detectable effects on statistical robust estimates of lion density and socially regulated survival in the Kruger National Park in South Africa once the effects of prey biomass has been accounted for. Immediate actions are not required and illustrate that for disease outcome scenarios it is important to understand host and disease ecology when planning and informing future efficient disease management options. Photograph by Paul Funston.

Feral ungulates, like other invasive mammals, are considered a serious biodiversity conservation problem and their management is challenging worldwide. We study the demography of feral horses (Equus caballus) in Tornquist Park, Argentina and found that the population approached carrying capacity and was food limited, mainly by reduced female fecundity. Long-term demography studies contribute to the understanding of feral ungulate ecology, science based management and population modelling. Photograph by Alberto Scorolli.

Invasive species are increasingly recognized as a source of biodiversity loss and other harmful impacts. The Nile monitor lizard (Varanus niloticus) and Burmese python (Python molurus bivittatus) have become established is southern Florida, USA, and acetaminophen is an effective, apparently painless toxicant when given to juveniles of these species. Further investigation into adult dosages, secondary hazards, and bait deployment strategies are necessary, but acetaminophen may be a useful management tool for these species.

Wild rabbit is a paradigmatic prey species of Mediterranean ecosystems for its ecological relevance and strong connection to the Iberian culture and tradition. Rabbit population trends in Portugal were assessed from 1995 to 2002, using field data and hunting statistics, to investigate its conservation status and improve management measures. Our results indicated a 27% abundance reduction during this period, and highlightened discrepancies between the two methodologies, suggesting hunting bags are not yet representative of real changes in rabbit abundance in Portugal. Photograph by Joana Paupério.

The Australian white ibis population has declined within its natural wetland habitat and has increased in urban areas where it is readily managed as a pest species. Limited ecological data has been collected on ibis in urban areas, particularly at a regional scale over multiple years. We observed the population double over three years, but importantly seasonal fluctuations demonstrate that the national ibis population is interconnected and local management has consequences beyond the immediate region. Photograph by John Martin.

Nest boxes are an important management tool in the reintroduction, conservation and monitoring of hollow-using species. Temperature data loggers (iButtons^®) can be used to remotely monitor nest box use, avoiding interferences associated with physically checking nest boxes. Not only can iButtons^® monitor nest box use with little error, their use can be extended to the monitoring of tree hollow occupation and the environmental conditions in which nest boxes or tree hollows are used by wildlife, as well as preferences for different nest box designs. Photograph Tracey Moore.

We assessed the use of remnant forest habitats in a rural landscape of southern Chile by the arboreal marsupial, Dromiciops gliroides (Microbiotheria). We concluded that narrow riparian forest strips, in a highly inter-connected mosaic of remnant forest patches, are as important as large patches and continuous Andean forests to sustain viable populations of this threatened marsupial. This information is useful to landscape managers of rural areas. Photograph by Jaime Jimenez.

Wildlife managers could play a greater role in ensuring that Indigenous wildlife harvesting is sustainable and helping to address community health and employment challenges facing Indigenous Australians in remote and rural areas.