Right now, across eastern #Australia, #frogs are croaking it in large numbers – and again it’s the ARWH that are hopping up to the agar plate to find out what’s going on... #WildlifeHealth #ScienceWeek theconversation.com/dead-shrivelle… @jodirowley @KarrieARose @FrogIDAus #FrogID @austmus
There's a reason the humble #frog is ARWH's unofficial mascot. #Amphibians are valuable #IndicatorSpecies – being highly susceptible to environmental toxins & many pathogens (parasitic, bacterial, viral & fungal) - & right now they're indicating that something is seriously wrong
We are currently in an unusual #MassMortality event for #frogs, and Taronga's AWRH is right at the forefront of figuring out what is going on.
Affected #frogs are thin, may appear darker or lighter than normal, slow, & are out in the day. Some frogs also have red bellies, red feet, & excessive sloughed skin. The iconic green tree #frog features prominently in this #MassMortality event. PC: S. McGovern Image
Please report any diseased frogs using the national #CitizenScience project, @FrogIDAus
Over 100 species of frog live within the geographic range of this outbreak, and many are considered threatened, including the #BooroolongFrog.
#cytrid, a well-documented fungal pathogen, is one possibility, with the fungus potentially able to take hold. The ARWH has confirmed cytrid in the very small number of sick #frogs we’ve examined from the recent outbreak, but we need more data
It remains possible that a novel or exotic pathogen could be the culprit. You can help find out. So Taronga's ARWH is working with the #Australian Museum (@austmus), government biosecurity and environment agencies as part of the investigation.
Please send any reports of sick or dead #frogs (and if possible, photos) to us, via the national @austmus #CitizenScience project @FrogIDAus , or email calls@frogid.net.au.

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More from @tarongazoo

21 Aug
Taronga’s marine scientists, in collaboration with Macquarie Uni & others internationally, are investigating the effects of pulsed electric fields on #shark physiology & behavior to deliver innovative improvements in deterrents to save the lives of people & #sharks. #ScienceWeek
This @ARC_gov_au funded project builds on a previous ARC LP by this team that uncovered information on #shark vision and demonstrated the effectiveness of counter-illumination (light emitting) devices in deterring shark attacks
The new project (late 2020>) will test the effectiveness of existing & improved personal deterrents against attacks from white, bull & tiger #sharks. This should reduce fatalities by increasing device-use, while also reducing the need for indiscriminate meshing/culling programs.
Read 4 tweets
21 Aug
Taronga scientists also manage the Australian #Shark Attack File (ASAF). This long-term database & resource provides valuable insights on incidents and the effectiveness of possible deterrents. #ScienceWeek taronga.org.au/conservation-a….
Research using ASAF data led by Laura Ryan with Taronga’s Dr David Slip, Macquarie University, DPI and UNSW scientists, generated predictive models for #shark attacks in Australian waters based on environmental conditions. . doi.org/10.3354/meps13…
This paper identified rainfall & sea surface temperature anomaly as key predictors, and is of great value in designing a potential warning system platform that can allow water users to make more informed decisions before entering the water.
Read 6 tweets
21 Aug
As Taronga’s Research & #Conservation Coordinator, & a marine biologist specializing in #ConservationGenetics, Dr Jo Day, wears many hats – & most are waterproof! Jo’s work covers many areas & species, including the little-known Port Jackson #shark... #MarineScience #ScienceWeek
Data from GPS and accelerometer tags fitted to Taronga zoo-based Port Jackson #sharks allowed the team to identify resting & active swimming, as well as feeding behaviour.
Using fine and broad scale #MovementEcology data from these Port Jackson #sharks, #MachineLearning models allowed the team to identify these key behaviours in this elusive #marine #shark species. mdpi.com/1424-8220/20/2…
Read 4 tweets
21 Aug
Getting lost in the crowd can be a problem when you’re an #endangered sea lion pup. Taronga behavioural ecologist @PitcherBen & collaborators are decoding #Australian #sealion communication to understand how mothers and pups recognise each other in a busy colony #ScienceWeek
Australian sea lions use a combination of sound, sight and smell to communicate and recognise their pups. Mothers can use the size and colour patterns in pup coats to help located their offspring in a colony royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/pdf/10.109… @RSocPublishing #AnimalCommunication
Smell is critical to recognition. Mums will smell pups they encounter while searching the colony to confirm which pup is their own offspring. Each sea lion has a unique smell and mums learn the odour of their pup sciencedirect.com/science/articl… #AnimalCommunication
Read 5 tweets
20 Aug
Taronga is also reminding #RegentHoneyeaters how to tweet! Their song has been changing, perhaps due to small fragmented populations &reduced opportunity to learn from adults. Taronga keepers began playing songs to juvenile birds to teach them the right ones to sing. #ScienceWeek
Results are showing that #RegentHoneyeaters that were tutored to sing, either directly by adult birds or by virtual tutoring, had a better chance of surviving in the wild.
We’re now working with researchers at ANU to understand how best to teach birds to sing and why song is important to survival theguardian.com/australia-news…
Read 4 tweets
20 Aug
The #RegentHoneyeater is one of Australia’s most #CriticallyEndangered birds. There are <350 birds left in the wild. For >20y, Taronga has been #ConservationBreeding an insurance population. Since 2008, >300 birds have been released to bolster wild populations. #ScienceWeek
#RegentHoneyeaters are in decline due to threats from #habitatloss and degradation. #Drought, #bushfire, competition, and now even the precariously small size of the remaining population all pose risks to the species’ survival.
Our team of #RegentHoneyeater keepers are experts in #ConservationBreeding these amazing birds. Here specialist keeper Kara Stevens explains our progress at Taronga Western Plains Zoo, Dubbo.
Read 6 tweets

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