Breeding fat-tailed dunnarts (Sminthopsis crassicaudata) in captivity: Revised practices to minimize stress whilst maintaining considerations of wild biology

Abstract

Background: The fat-tailed dunnart is a small dasyurid marsupial which is emerging as a robust laboratory model for conservation, developmental, and reproductive biology research. While these marsupials present extremely valuable models, housing non-domesticated animals in captivity can present a wide range of potential stressors for the animals, which need to be managed to ensure colony health. Notably, dunnarts rely on scent marking for social communication, which is important to maintain to reduce stress in artificial environments. Results: In this study, we examine captive management techniques and provide updated recommendations which consider both scientific and conservation outcomes. ..