Virtual Issues

Indigenous and cross-cultural wildlife research in Australia

Guest Editors

Jack Pascoe (University of Melbourne, Yuin, living on Wurundjeri Woi-wurrung Land)

Stephen van Leeuwen (Curtin University, Wardandi Noongar, living on Wadjuk Noongar Boodja)

Marlee Hutton (Kimberley Land Council, Bardi Jawi, living on Yawuru Land)

Emilie Ens (Macquarie University, Living on Dharug Land)

Hannah Cliff (Indigenous Desert Alliance, Living on Wadjuk Noongar Boodja)

Sarah Legge (Charles Darwin University, Living on Bundjalung Land)

Fertility Control for Wildlife in the 21st Century

This collection of Wildlife Research papers features selected presentations from the 9th International Conference on Wildlife Fertility Control, held in Colorado Springs (USA) in 2022. These studies showcase the wide spectrum of topics that covered novel contraceptives tested on several species, ranging from mice to elephants. They also illustrate new methods to deliver contraceptives, models on the impact of fertility control on populations, feasibility, cost of practical applications of fertility control, discussions on animal welfare and human dimension of these approaches.

Guest Editors
Cheryl S. Asa (Association of Zoos and Aquariums, AZA, Reproductive Management Center at the Saint Louis Zoo)
Stephanie L. Boyles Griffin (Botstiber Institute for Wildlife Fertility Control, BIWFC)
Douglas Eckery (USDA APHIS WS National Wildlife Research Center)
Lyn A. Hinds (CSIRO)
Giovanna Massei (Botstiber Institute for Wildlife Fertility Control)

Cats in Australia: Ecology, Impact, Management

Invasive introduced species are a major cause of biodiversity decline globally. Many of the world’s most significant recent conservation successes arise from the resolute control of invasive species, with such management working most effectively when it is based on robust evidence about the ecology of the pest species. In this collection of papers, we highlight these inter-related issues – of impact, management and ecology – for the case of the introduced domestic cat Felis catus in Australia.

At least from the early twentieth century, there has been concern about the impacts of cats upon Australia’s native wildlife. However, until recent decades, there has been limited knowledge of the ecology and impacts of cats in Australia, and hence of the need and mechanisms for their management. That situation has now changed markedly: the evidence base is now much more robust. Wildlife Research (and its predecessor Australian Wildlife Research) has been a major player in this expansion of knowledge, publishing at least 100 studies relating to cats, mostly in Australia. This virtual issue includes a complementary subset of those important studies, including some landmark contributions on the ecology, impacts and management of pet and feral cats in Australia. As a result of this research work, the management of cats in Australia is much more effective than ever before, and relative to many other parts of the world.

John Woinarski, Sarah Legge and Chris Dickman