Journal article
Infectious Disease Surveillance in the Woylie (Bettongia penicillata)
K Skogvold, KS Warren, B Jackson, CS Holyoake, K Stalder, JM Devlin, SD Vitali, AF Wayne, A Legione, I Robertson, RJ Vaughan-Higgins
Ecohealth | SPRINGER | Published : 2017
Abstract
Wild populations of the critically endangered woylie (Bettongia penicillata) recently declined by 90% in southwest Western Australia. Increased predation is the leading hypothesis for decline, but disease may be playing a role increasing susceptibility to predation. To explore this possibility, we surveyed woylie populations in the wild, in captivity and in a predator-free sanctuary for exposure to, and infection with, four known pathogens of macropods: herpesviruses, Wallal and Warrego orbiviruses, and Toxoplasma gondii. Our study found two of 68 individuals positive for neutralizing antibodies against known macropodid alphaherpesviruses. Three of 45 individuals were PCR positive for a herp..
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Funding Acknowledgements
The staff of the Perth Zoo Veterinary Department and the Native Species Breeding Program are to be thanked for their assistance in clinical examination, sample collection, and processing of results. Department of Parks and Wildlife Manjimup field staff and volunteers are also acknowledged for their hard work and dedication to woylie conservation. We thank Nino Ficorilli for providing expert and technical advice in regard to laboratory methods. This work was supported by the following grants: Caring for Our Country, National Resource Management; Wildlife Conservation in Action, Perth Zoo; Science Division, Department of Parks and Wildlife (DPaW), WA, Student Project Stipend; and Wildlife Disease Association, Australasian Section, Student Award. K. Skogvold was supported by The Murdoch University Veterinary Trust.