Management programs aiming to reduce densities and impacts of mammal populations often use ground-based shooting to kill animals. We conducted a systematic review of the literature to assess the effectiveness of ground-shooting as a management intervention. Case studies showed that shooting was used in a wide range of situations. Operations that used commercial wildlife-management contractors or government-agency shooters were more likely to meet their objectives than were those that relied on unpaid shooters such as volunteers or recreational hunters. We present recommendations to help wildlife managers improve the likelihood of operational success when using ground shooting as a population control tool. Photograph by Peter West.

Managing the genetic health of fragmented populations requires assessment of the risks and benefits of alternative management actions to prevent species extinction. This study aimed to determine the extent to which key theoretical concepts are considered when genetic analyses are used to identify population units for conservation. Our findings suggest that future studies could be better targeted to guide decisions about when to manage populations separately. Photograph by Peter Menkhorst.

While re-establishing a population of numbats into a newly created safe haven, we were able to compare refuge use by wild individuals pre- and post-translocation and the survival and refuge use of captive-bred numbats compared with wild individuals. Survivorship was high and only minor differences in refuge use were detected. Practitioners can manage the size and genetic diversity of a founding population, when cat and fox predation is removed, by sourcing wild and captive-bred individuals. Photograph by Michael Smith.

Effective species conservation requires knowledge of population demographics and spatial requirements. We monitored the endangered northern quoll on Groote Eylandt and found that although the population is a refuge for the species, female density declined by 58%, likely being caused by low rainfall. On the island, male quolls are semelparous and their average home range is considerably larger than has been previously reported. Maintaining the ecological integrity of Groote is imperative for population recovery, and managing threats on the mainland over an appropriate spatial scale is necessary to increase population resilience. Photograph by Skye F. Cameron.

Microchip-automated technology can provide targeted soft-release to only the intended microchipped animals. The present study trained 14 wild-caught northern brown bandicoots to access a food reward by passing through a microchip-automated door. This shows the great potential for this technology with wildlife. Photograph by Meg Edwards.

Capture–recapture sampling is commonly used for monitoring population demographics, and needed for repeat measurements of individuals. Bait types used can lead to capture bias or influence recapture reliability. We investigated an attractant-augmented bait in enhancing recapture probabilities in snowshoe hares. The attractant increased recapture rates in previously uncaptured individuals. Studies relying on high recapture rates should (1) test for bait effectiveness before studies are conducted, and (2) employ effective attractants when high capture–recapture rates are desired. Photograph by Melanie R. Boudreau.

Natural and human-related disturbances have become increasingly important worldwide, with substantial effects on biodiversity, although the ways that they affect reptiles are not completely understood. Here, we investigated how a wide range of disturbances, such as fire, logging and species invasion, affect squamate reptiles, and discovered that certain species traits (including body temperature and clutch size) influenced their responses to these disturbances. These findings could contribute to the conservation of reptiles across the globe. Photograph by Tim S. Jessop.

There is evidence that, within species, some predator populations are severely affected by invading cane toads, while other populations are not. Here we reveal a spatial pattern in the impacts of invasive cane toads on a keystone predator, the yellow-spotted monitor. Paradoxically, in some places the lizards are decimated by cane toads (90–100% population declines), but persist alongside the toads in coastal areas. Understanding why this pattern occurs could save managers considerable resources when facing the cane toad problem, while also revealing novel ecological, behavioural or physiological mechanisms underpinning the pattern. Photograph by Gary Vas.

The broad-toothed rat is a threatened species of rodent native to south-eastern Australia. In the present study, we resurveyed sites across Victoria where the species was recorded historically and found that it had disappeared from 53% of sites. Its decline was correlated with higher temperatures and a lower precipitation, suggesting that projected climate change, combined with other impacts, will lead to a further decline of the species. Photograph by David Paul (Museums Victoria).