Is disease contributing to declines of small mammals in Australia's Top End?

Authors: Reiss A
Publication: Proceedings of the Australian Veterinary Association (AVA) Annual Conferences, Volume 2014 AVA Annual Conference, Perth, Issue Conservation Biology / Welfare, May 2014
Publisher: Australian Veterinary Association

---

Abstract: There has been an alarming and dramatic decline in small to medium sized native mammal species in northern Australia over the past 20 years.1,2,3 The causes of this decline are currently under investigation. There is limited historical and/or current information on health and disease in northern Australian mammal species and it is not known what role disease may be playing in the decline of mammals in northern Australia. Disease (both infectious and non infectious) is increasingly recognised as a key threatening process to wildlife populations and to biodiversity in general.4 Disease may act as a primary driver in wildlife population declines (e.g. devil facial tumour disease in Tasmanian devils, white nose syndrome in bats, chytridiomycosis in amphibians) or may exert its effect in subtle, contributory ways (immunological impacts or behaviour change due to toxoplasmosis infection in western ringtail possums) which may only be revealed through long-term focused research. 5,6

---