Giving a Rat's: Acquisition of Baseline Health Data on Native Australian Rodents During a Conservation Translocation.
4 affiliations
- 1School of Veterinary Medicine, Murdoch University, 90 South Street, Murdoch, WA 6150, Australia.
- 2Asia-Pacific Centre for Animal Health, Melbourne Veterinary School, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia.
- 3Biodiversity and Conservation Science, Western Australia Department of Biodiversity Conservation and Attractions, Wildlife Place, Woodvale, WA 6026, Australia.
- 4School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA 6009, Australia.
Abstract
Little is known about the baseline health status of Australia's native rodents. The resultant knowledge gaps are problematic for wildlife translocations, as assessing disease risk is integral to translocation planning and outcomes. A disease risk analysis was conducted for the conservation translocation of native rodents to Dirk Hartog Island, Western Australia. This analysis resulted in a recommendation for a multidisciplinary project to reduce knowledge gaps about the health status of Shark Bay mice (Pseudomys gouldii) and greater-stick-nest rats (Leporillus conditor). Between 2021 and 2022, 130 Shark Bay mice and 122 greater stick-nest rats were translocated to Dirk Hartog Island. Mucosal swabs, whole blood, faeces, and ectoparasites were collected from a subset of these individuals. Molecular testing for four infectious agents was performed, parasite burdens and haematological parameters were examined, and relationships between these variables, health metrics and post-translocation short-term survival were assessed. Necropsies with routine histological assessment on translocation mortalities were performed where feasible. Several indicators of non-infectious factors contributing to morbidity or mortality were found, highlighting the need to iteratively evaluate translocation strategies. There was also an apparent absence of some host-specific parasites, suggesting that active approaches to parasite conservation during translocations should be considered. Molecular evidence of herpesviruses, a paramyxovirus, Bartonella sp., Trypanosoma sp. and Mycoplasma spp. were detected among the translocated animals. Although not associated with morbidity or short-term mortality in this study, the disease potential of these agents is still present. Overall, these results contribute important new data on health baselines for both species, which will assist in informing future conservation planning.
Related
- Fractional optimal control of hantavirus transmission between rodents and humans
- Disruption of the thyroid hormone system and patterns of altered thyroid hormone serum concentrations after chemical exposures in adult rodents – a systematic review
- Acute and 90-Day Repeated-Dose Oral Toxicity of Urtica dioica L. Leaf Extract Granules in Rodents
- Prefrontal-midline thalamic circuitry in rodents at the intersection of cognition, emotion and motivation
- Encapsulated Leptin‐Producing Cells Facilitate Entrainment of Circadian Rhythms in Rodents and Nonhuman Primates
BibTeX
@article{knox2026giving,
title = {{Giving a Rat's: Acquisition of Baseline Health Data on Native Australian Rodents During a Conservation Translocation.}},
author = {Fiona Knox and Jill M Austen and Claire R Sharp and Timothy H Hyndman and Jane P Wesson and James K Douch and Paola K Vaz and Nahiid Stephens and Sarah Keatley and Amanda Ash and Colleen Sims and Saul Cowen and Kelly Rayner and Sean Garretson and Siobhon Egan and Kristin Warren and Lian Yeap and Rebecca Vaughan-Higgins},
journal = {Animals : an open access journal from MDPI},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.3390/ani16193044},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42883013},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Giving a Rat's: Acquisition of Baseline Health Data on Native Australian Rodents During a Conservation Translocation.
AU - Fiona Knox
AU - Jill M Austen
AU - Claire R Sharp
AU - Timothy H Hyndman
AU - Jane P Wesson
AU - James K Douch
AU - Paola K Vaz
AU - Nahiid Stephens
AU - Sarah Keatley
AU - Amanda Ash
AU - Colleen Sims
AU - Saul Cowen
AU - Kelly Rayner
AU - Sean Garretson
AU - Siobhon Egan
AU - Kristin Warren
AU - Lian Yeap
AU - Rebecca Vaughan-Higgins
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/27
JO - Animals : an open access journal from MDPI
DO - 10.3390/ani16193044
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42883013
AB - Little is known about the baseline health status of Australia's native rodents. The resultant knowledge gaps are problematic for wildlife translocations, as assessing disease risk is integral to translocation planning and outcomes. A disease risk analysis was conducted for the conservation translocation of native rodents to Dirk Hartog Island, Western Australia. This analysis resulted in a recommendation for a multidisciplinary project to reduce knowledge gaps about the health status of Shark Bay mice (Pseudomys gouldii) and greater-stick-nest rats (Leporillus conditor). Between 2021 and 2022, 130 Shark Bay mice and 122 greater stick-nest rats were translocated to Dirk Hartog Island. Mucosal swabs, whole blood, faeces, and ectoparasites were collected from a subset of these individuals. Molecular testing for four infectious agents was performed, parasite burdens and haematological parameters were examined, and relationships between these variables, health metrics and post-translocation short-term survival were assessed. Necropsies with routine histological assessment on translocation mortalities were performed where feasible. Several indicators of non-infectious factors contributing to morbidity or mortality were found, highlighting the need to iteratively evaluate translocation strategies. There was also an apparent absence of some host-specific parasites, suggesting that active approaches to parasite conservation during translocations should be considered. Molecular evidence of herpesviruses, a paramyxovirus, Bartonella sp., Trypanosoma sp. and Mycoplasma spp. were detected among the translocated animals. Although not associated with morbidity or short-term mortality in this study, the disease potential of these agents is still present. Overall, these results contribute important new data on health baselines for both species, which will assist in informing future conservation planning.
SN - 2076-2615
ER -