This study assesses the effectiveness of a new device (false-floors) in reducing the opportunistic predation of small reptiles by small mammals caught within the same pitfall trap during vertebrate surveys. Reptile predation was much lower in pitfalls with false-floors (15% of reptile-mammal pit co-occupancies) than in pits without false-floors (60% of co-occupancies). Photograph by Andrea Stiglingh, 2021.

This study aimed to assess the impact of the 2019–2020 wildfires on the abundance of the southern greater glider in Woomargama National Park, New South Wales, Australia. Our results indicated that southern greater glider populations were lower in areas that burned during the fires, as well as in small, unburned refuges. These declines were linked to the loss of critical resources, such as an intact canopy and hollow-bearing trees. Photograph by Mikayla Green.

Rural landowners believe that reducing populations of invasive predators to protect indigenous fauna exacerbates European rabbit problems on their land. We tested this in replicated areas with and without predator control in rural landscapes of the Hawke’s Bay region, New Zealand, and found contradictory and inconclusive results. This suggests that predator effects on rabbit populations are minor compared with other sources of population limitation or regulation, which should reassure landowners concerned that rabbit populations will irrupt following predator control. Photograph by Jan Kelly.

Greater stick-nest rats are extinct on the Australian mainland but persist on small islands, some of which have been invaded by noxious African boxthorn. Using vegetation surveys and faecal analysis on Reevesby Island, South Australia, we found that the species selects boxthorn for feeding and probably also for nesting. This highlights the need for nuanced appraisals of vegetation in novel ecosystems in the context of small-mammal conservation. Photograph by Wayne Lawler/Australian Wildlife Conservancy.

Government, and conservation non-government organisations (NGOs) must incorporate Indigenous Knowledges and priorities into conservation and land management programs to be consistent with self-determination. Our perspective piece outlines caring for Country by acknowledging and protecting Culturally Significant Entities, using case-studies of two whale species. We weave the cultural significance and conservation context of southern right and humpback whales to highlight the inability of contemporary conservation approaches to effectively protect the tangible and intangible elements of Cultural Heritage and knowledge associated with a species. Painting of Gurawal’s Songline by Back to Country.

This article belongs to the Collection Indigenous and cross-cultural wildlife research in Australia.

Cats and foxes are a significant threat to bilbies, with their impacts likely to be worsened by fire. We used camera-traps and genetic sampling to investigate whether bilby–predator interactions changed in response to planned fire. We found a high level of overlap in activity among the three species, and a general decline in bilby and cat activity, and an increase in fox activity following fire. Our study indicated that broad-scale fire is likely to have negative consequences for bilby populations, most likely owing to an increase in fox predation pressure.

Warlpiri: Minija manu pujumalu kalu-jana ngarni walpajirri kuja ka warlu-jangkalku karrimi (ngunjalparla/winingka). Ngulajangka yartiwajirli ka palka-mani kuna-wartirlki panu. Ngulajangka kanarlu-jana nyanyi kuyu-patu marnkurrpa minija, pujuma manu walpajirri yartiwajirla, wita-karri-karrirlki kalu nyinami walpajirri-watiji manu minija-watiji manu nganayiji pujumaju kalu panu nyinami nyampurla walyangkaju (ngurungkaju). Wiri-jarlu warluju ngulaju maju walpajirri-kiji. Pujumaju panu, punku walpajirri-kiji.

The translation of this short summary from English to Warlpiri language was provided by Annette Patrick from the community of Lajamanu in the northern Tanami Desert. Warlpiri language is spoken by ~3000 of the Warlpiri people from the Tanami Desert, north-west of Alice Springs in central Australia. Photograph supplied by H.M. Geyle.

This article belongs to the collection Indigenous and cross-cultural wildlife research in Australia.

Some small insectivorous bats live at the edge of their physiological limits. Bergmann’s rule implies that larger animals occur in colder environments. I showed that bat size is related to elevation, which confirms Bergmann’s 175-year-old prediction. A Bayesian multilevel model showed an increase of 0.11 mm in forearm length per 100 m, meaning that bats are likley to become smaller with an increasing temperature. I use this to spatially estimate habitat loss. Image by Alexander Herr.

The invasive dama wallaby is a significant pest to native vegetation and production assets in North Island, New Zealand. Eradication operations targeting pest wallabies require effective surveillance to determine the outcome of the management intervention. Detection dogs with handlers searching for wallaby faecal pellet groups are an effective surveillance method for confidently determining whether a targeted wallaby population has been eradicated. Photograph by Jo Peace.

The Australian brush-turkey is a recent urban colonising species despite atypical traits for urban adaption, often causing human–wildlife conflict due to their digging behaviour. We outline historical changes in the species distribution at multiple scales and show their range has shifted over time, with an overall increase in major cities. Brush-turkeys are occupying increasingly developed areas, suggesting they are not limited to suburban areas with high greenspace cover and will continue to move into suburban areas. Photograph by Jenny Kelly.

DNA recovered from predator faeces can be used to determine the presence of fauna and shed light on their life histories and inter-species interactions. We identified two markers (12SV5 and 16SMam) that, in combination, are suitable for successfully identifying marsupial sequences at a high level of resolution. We also showed that these samples work well in predator scats sampled from the wild, providing a potent approach to non-invasive wildlife survey, and therefore management, through the detection of multiple species across all vertebrates. Photograph by Anna MacDonald.

In response to predation from introduced predators, imperilled Australian mammals are increasingly preserved in predator-free havens, yet detailed monitoring of such populations is rarely reported. This study describes the establishment of Endangered woylies in a predator-free sanctuary in Tone–Perup Nature Reserve, Western Australia, revealing estimates of the growth and health of the population. Recommendations are made for the strategic management of this and other havened populations to improve conservation outcomes. Photograph by Natasha Harrison.

Australia is home to some of the most consequential invasive species, and the risk of new incursions increases every year with an increasing people and trade movement exacerbated by land-use change. We built a system to connect citizen-science observations with biosecurity and land management agencies. Already, the Biosecurity Alerts Service is proving critical in Australia’s general surveillance system, with important localised eradications undertaken as a result. Photograph by Darren Fielder (CC BY-NC).