Outcomes for an arboreal folivore after rehabilitation and implications for management
Abstract Wildlife rehabilitation is a critical part of animal welfare that contributes to species conservation. Despite the resources that go into rehabilitation, how animals fare after release from care is unknown. This is particularly true for cryptic arboreal species where specialist diets in car...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2023-04-01
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| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-33535-y |
| _version_ | 1797841089117290496 |
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| author | Kellie A. Leigh Lacey N. Hofweber Brienna K. Sloggett Victoria L. Inman Lachlan J. Pettit Aditi Sriram Ron Haering |
| author_facet | Kellie A. Leigh Lacey N. Hofweber Brienna K. Sloggett Victoria L. Inman Lachlan J. Pettit Aditi Sriram Ron Haering |
| author_sort | Kellie A. Leigh |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Wildlife rehabilitation is a critical part of animal welfare that contributes to species conservation. Despite the resources that go into rehabilitation, how animals fare after release from care is unknown. This is particularly true for cryptic arboreal species where specialist diets in care and low detectability in the wild present challenges for both care and post-release monitoring. We evaluated post-release outcomes for koalas and assessed if koalas were fed appropriately while in care. We monitored 36 koalas that had experienced one of three categories of medical intervention (none, minor, major) during rehabilitation. We examined the drivers of (i) koala survival and (ii) movements post-release, and (iii) evaluated variation between the species of browse fed in care versus browse selected by koalas in-situ. Overall, the post release survival rate of koalas was 58.5%, with only koalas that received medical intervention experiencing mortality. A critical threshold for mortality occurred at two weeks post-release and mortality was related to the measurable indicators of low body condition and poor climbing ability at time of release. In the month following their release, animals translocated furthest from their capture point moved the furthest. There was poor overlap between the tree species that koalas were fed in care and those they utilized post-release. We provide recommendations to address critical gaps in rehabilitation practices, as well as priorities for monitoring animals post-release to improve outcomes for arboreal folivores. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-09T16:25:23Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-95c1ef2cc16c448f936ac24c1c6f42ef |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-09T16:25:23Z |
| publishDate | 2023-04-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj.art-95c1ef2cc16c448f936ac24c1c6f42ef2023-04-23T11:13:32ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222023-04-0113111610.1038/s41598-023-33535-yOutcomes for an arboreal folivore after rehabilitation and implications for managementKellie A. Leigh0Lacey N. Hofweber1Brienna K. Sloggett2Victoria L. Inman3Lachlan J. Pettit4Aditi Sriram5Ron Haering6Science for Wildlife LtdScience for Wildlife LtdScience for Wildlife LtdScience for Wildlife LtdScience for Wildlife LtdDepartment of Planning and Environment, National Parks and Wildlife ServiceDepartment of Planning and Environment, National Parks and Wildlife ServiceAbstract Wildlife rehabilitation is a critical part of animal welfare that contributes to species conservation. Despite the resources that go into rehabilitation, how animals fare after release from care is unknown. This is particularly true for cryptic arboreal species where specialist diets in care and low detectability in the wild present challenges for both care and post-release monitoring. We evaluated post-release outcomes for koalas and assessed if koalas were fed appropriately while in care. We monitored 36 koalas that had experienced one of three categories of medical intervention (none, minor, major) during rehabilitation. We examined the drivers of (i) koala survival and (ii) movements post-release, and (iii) evaluated variation between the species of browse fed in care versus browse selected by koalas in-situ. Overall, the post release survival rate of koalas was 58.5%, with only koalas that received medical intervention experiencing mortality. A critical threshold for mortality occurred at two weeks post-release and mortality was related to the measurable indicators of low body condition and poor climbing ability at time of release. In the month following their release, animals translocated furthest from their capture point moved the furthest. There was poor overlap between the tree species that koalas were fed in care and those they utilized post-release. We provide recommendations to address critical gaps in rehabilitation practices, as well as priorities for monitoring animals post-release to improve outcomes for arboreal folivores.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-33535-y |
| spellingShingle | Kellie A. Leigh Lacey N. Hofweber Brienna K. Sloggett Victoria L. Inman Lachlan J. Pettit Aditi Sriram Ron Haering Outcomes for an arboreal folivore after rehabilitation and implications for management Scientific Reports |
| title | Outcomes for an arboreal folivore after rehabilitation and implications for management |
| title_full | Outcomes for an arboreal folivore after rehabilitation and implications for management |
| title_fullStr | Outcomes for an arboreal folivore after rehabilitation and implications for management |
| title_full_unstemmed | Outcomes for an arboreal folivore after rehabilitation and implications for management |
| title_short | Outcomes for an arboreal folivore after rehabilitation and implications for management |
| title_sort | outcomes for an arboreal folivore after rehabilitation and implications for management |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-33535-y |
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