Experimental manipulation of fertility reveals potential lactation costs in a freeranging marsupial

JK Cripps; ME Wilson; MA Elgar; G Coulson

Journal article

Experimental manipulation of fertility reveals potential lactation costs in a freeranging marsupial

JK Cripps, ME Wilson, MA Elgar, G Coulson

Biology Letters | Published : 2011

DOI: 10.1098/rsbl.2011.0526

Abstract

Lactation is the most energetically expensive component of reproduction in mammals. Theory predicts that reproducing females will adjust their behaviour to compensate for increased nutritional demands. However, experimental tests are required, since comparisons of the behaviour of naturally reproducing and nonreproducing females cannot distinguish between true costs of reproduction, individual differences or seasonal variation. We experimentally manipulated reproduction in free-ranging, eastern grey kangaroos (Macropus giganteus), using a fertility control agent. Our novel field experiment revealed that females altered their behaviour in direct response to the energetic demands of reproducti..

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University of Melbourne Researchers

Graeme Coulson Author

Jemma Cripps Author

Related Projects (1)

FERTILITY MANAGEMENT OF KOALAS, KANGAROOS AND WALLABIES

The aims of this work are to test a commercially available long-acting contraceptive on large populations of kangaroos and koalas, and to de..

Grants

Awarded by Australian Research Council

Funding Acknowledgements

We thank Mike Helman and Mick Smith at Serendip Sanctuary; volunteers who assisted with fieldwork; and Marco Festa-Bianchet, Jenny Martin, Sarah Garnick and two anonymous referees for their perceptive comments on the manuscript. This research was approved by the University of Melbourne's Animal Ethics Committee (no. 06146) and Department of Sustainability and Environment (no. 10004041), and funded by Australian Research Council Linkage Project (LP0560344).