The 2019–2020 wildfires in south-eastern Australia were the most extensive and severe of any recorded since European settlement, and the impacts of these fires on biodiversity are expected to be devastating. By using walked spotlighting transects, we investigated the impact of these fires on two forest-dependent species, the greater glider and yellow-bellied glider, across a range of sites in both north-eastern and south-eastern New South Wales (NSW), where one or both species were known to be present before the fires. In 2020–2021, in north-eastern NSW, greater gliders were observed at 57 (76%) of the 75 sites where they had been recorded previously, and at an additional three sites where they had not been recorded. Yellow-bellied gliders were observed at 11 (23%) of the 48 sites where they had been recorded previously. In 2021, in south-eastern NSW, greater gliders were still present at all nine long-term sites, but in greatly reduced numbers on the burnt sites. The yellow-bellied glider was also reduced in abundance on the burnt sites. We found no significant relationship between glider presence for both species and fire severity in the local landscape in both regions; however, greater glider counts were reduced on most severely burnt sites. Other factors, including elevation and logging history (indicators of habitat quality), appeared to condition fire effects. The decline in populations of both species at low–moderate elevations, regardless of fire severity, is of concern and requires further investigation. Climate change and the associated impacts of prolonged droughts, extended heatwaves, and more frequent wildfires could largely be responsible for some of these changes in glider occupancy.

The northern hairy-nosed wombat (Lasiorhinus krefftii, NHNW) is critically endangered following major range and population declines during the 20th century, resulting in a population bottleneck of ~30 individuals in the 1980s. Understanding the population history, impact of extirpations, range contraction and the bottleneck in this species is critical to contextualising ongoing efforts to understand and manage surviving genetic diversity. We generated mtDNA genomes from contemporary and historical samples of the NHNW from the extant and two extirpated populations and compared mtDNA diversity and phylogeography to the closely related southern hairy-nosed wombat (L. latifrons, SHNW) from southern Australia. The NHNW had very low mtDNA diversity, with shallow phylogeographic structure across its former range. A single mtDNA haplotype has been present in the extant population since at least 1937, suggesting a small long-term female effective population size and a possible pre-1937 bottleneck. In contrast SHNWs show four to five times higher mtDNA diversity and evidence of phylogeographic divergence across the Pleistocene Eyrean Barrier. Our results highlighted the need for further genomic analyses of the extant NHNW population, to estimate the extent of inbreeding and inbreeding depression and to help minimise loss of functional genetic diversity in this species.

Recent catastrophic climate events in Australia that have impacted millions of animals across a range of landscapes have initiated a need for planned and coordinated rescue responses. The platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus) is one of Australia’s most iconic and biologically significant species. At a workshop held at Healesville Sanctuary, Victoria, Australia in 2023, species experts discussed the greatest threats, scenarios where intervention may be required and the types of intervention options that may be suitable for platypuses. We consider drought to be the most concerning event for the species, along with the impact of cumulative events on their habitat over time. Here, we discuss how intervention criteria should consider the degree of habitat impact, the recovery time frame, the genetic importance and local extinction risk of a population, risks to animal welfare, and the capacity requirements and feasibility of resourcing any action. Suitable interventions are weighed against potential risks and include the rescue and rehabilitation of displaced individuals, in situ habitat support, and translocation to either temporary ex situ care or inter or intra catchment. Further research is required to address how the platypus responds during and after different climate events, to different interventions and to determine which populations are most at risk. The outcomes discussed here and the framework provided should aid in management response decision making after natural disasters that may impact platypus populations.

Mycophagous species are significant ecosystem engineers. However, many of these species are difficult to survey which limits scientific understanding of their ecology and impacts on ecosystems. This study aimed to determine a bait preference for opportunistic mycophagous mammals by comparing detection rates and duration of time spent in front of cameras at different baits. We used camera traps and four different bait types to attract mycophagous species in two sympatric habitat types in southeast Queensland. No specific species were targeted, but rather the study aimed to detect any mycophages that may be present in the ecosystem. A total of 399 mycophagous mammal detections from 11 species were recorded in the study. The detection rates using different baits varied between species, but overall, mycophagous mammals tended to spend longer in front of the camera trap, and be detected sooner, at cameras baited with the truffle oil bait. By determining which bait attracts the most mycophages, whether they be obligate or occasional consumers of fungi, ecologists can target survey efforts when investigating these fungi-vertebrate relationships.

Tree hollow dependent wildlife species are increasingly at risk of decline due to continuing depletion of their hollow resources and the long lag-time for their renewal. We investigated patterns of hollow use in the brush-tailed phascogale (Phascogale tapoatafa), a regionally threatened mammal in the south of its range. Twenty-five phascogales (13 males and 12 females) were radio-tracked for a mean duration of 68.2 ± 15.8 (s.e.) days. This produced 318 diurnal nest site detections encompassing 88 individual hollows and 23 nest boxes. Dead trees were used on 70.4% of occasions despite comprising 27.7% of trees. The mean distance between consecutive diurnal shelters was 157.9 ± 65.9 m. Phascogales used up to 8 nest sites (mean 3.2 per individual) but usually had one or two hollows which they used most frequently. Females used hollows with narrower entrances (mean diameter: 6.3 ± 0.6 cm) compared to males (8.3 cm ± 0.6 cm). Internal measurements of accessible hollows revealed that females selected hollows slightly larger though not statistically different (24,846 cm3 ± 8,131 cm) to those of males (19,448 cm3 ± 5,310.7 cm). Our study has documented one of the highest frequencies of use of dead trees among studies on Australian marsupials and confirms that this is a critical resource in forests where large trees are absent or uncommon. We observed a loss of 4.5% of these tree hollows over a three-year period. Fire, storms and illegal firewood collection pose an ongoing threat to this vulnerable resource.

Accurate population estimates can reveal trends that are fundamental to detecting species’ declines and to designing and assessing conservation strategies. We compared spotlighting, diurnal line transects and thermal drone flights for detecting koalas in a rural landscape and evaluated a time series of data at our site to test sampling error and understand the influence of survey type and temporal variability on population estimates. Historically, diurnal koala detections were biased toward searches with a southerly view suggesting aspect with relation to the sun was a source of sampling error. No method detected all koalas, with drone flights, diurnal surveys and spotlighting transects detecting on average 79%, 48% and 43% of koalas respectively across repeated surveys, but detection differences were nonsignificant. Estimates of koala population density based on diurnal surveys had large confidence intervals. Combining techniques enhanced detection: a combination of drone and daytime surveys detected an average of 88% of koalas present. We conclude that, where possible, drone detection is currently the most effective way to detect koalas, but by combining methods, accuracy is improved.

The kultarr is widely distributed in the arid and semi-arid areas of Australia. The diet and habitat preference are described for individuals from a mulga shrubland habitat on Mileura Station in Western Australia. The breeding season of animals from Western Australia is compared with those of south-western Queensland. This study aims to provide insights into the ecology of this Western Australian population during field studies carried out over 3 years from 1980 to 1982. Kultarrs from Mileura Station appeared to select the stony granite plains of the Sherwood land system over the wanderrie plains habitats of the Belele and Ero land systems. A wide range of invertebrates were eaten and spiders, beetles, crickets and cockroaches appear to be an important year-round food source. At Mileura, the breeding season commenced in August and all females captured in September and October were lactating. The later onset of breeding in the kultarr from Western Australia compared to south-western Queensland is attributed to the different climate and habitat composition, and the influence of these on insect abundance.

A serious challenge in modern taxonomy is whether, or how, relationships with humans have altered the evolutionary trajectory of species and how this should be dealt with in taxonomic nomenclature. Despite their historic treatment as a discrete taxon, the taxonomy and nomenclature of dingoes has been robustly debated for decades, in part due to their close evolutionary relationship to wolves and domestic dogs, as well as uncertainty about the role of humans in shaping their origins. One outcome of this ongoing scientific debate is a set of criteria regarding reproductive isolation, evolutionary distinctiveness and evolutionary origins that can be used to refine discussion about the appropriate taxonomy of dingoes. We review significant scientific advances in our knowledge of the distinct identity of dingoes in light of these criteria and discuss the need for scientists to assess the multi-stage process of domestication when considering species that may have interacted with humans over evolutionary timescales. Current evidence indicates that dingoes are on a different evolutionary trajectory to domestic dogs and thus we argue that the appropriate nomenclature for dingoes is Canis dingo or Canis lupus dingo, not Canis familiaris. We suggest that an independent evidence-based scientific review with expert consultation is one pathway through which taxonomic debate about dingoes and other controversial species could be resolved.

Mycophagy is widespread among Australian mammals but has been poorly studied among dasyurids, with only 7 of the 61 Australian species having been shown to disperse fungi. Using spirit collections at the Australian Museum, we analysed the faecal material of brown antechinus (Antechinus stuartii), yellow-footed antechinus (A. flavipes), swamp antechinus (A. minimus) and mainland dusky antechinus (A. mimetes) collected from south-eastern Australia between 1970 and 2003. All species consumed fungi, with a total of 19 fungal taxa detected. This is the first published record of mycophagy by A. minimus and A. mimetes. We recommend that further research is undertaken on the fungal diets of dasyurids, as many species are likely performing important ecosystem functions through the consumption and dispersal of fungi.

The platypus, a unique mammal endemic to freshwater ecosystems in eastern Australia, faces population declines owing to various anthropogenic pressures. Despite its ecological importance, substantial knowledge gaps exist concerning juvenile movements and adult–juvenile interactions. We investigated total range, burrow range, active range, and burrow usage of platypuses in Coranderrk Creek, Victoria. We radio-tracked three adult female and three juvenile platypuses, recording the location of their resting burrows during the day and their movements during the night. Our results showed that juveniles exhibited significantly larger total ranges (mean juvenile 1473 ± 735 m; adult 920 ± 373 m) and daily ranges than did adults (mean juveniles 568 ± 407 m; adult 306 ± 226 m). Juveniles also had larger burrow ranges and travelled further from their burrows each night. Although no significant differences were observed in total number of burrows used between adults and juveniles, juveniles tended to use more moderate-use burrows (used 2–9 times), whereas adults favoured frequent-use burrows (used >10 times). Additionally, juvenile–adult dyads demonstrated the greatest total range (burrow and active range combined) overlap, and several instances of burrow sharing between adults and juveniles were observed. These findings suggest that juvenile platypuses are more exploratory, with larger ranges and more diverse burrow use patterns than adults. Our study has provided new insights into the spatial behaviour and social interactions of the platypus.