Epidemiology and molecular phylogeny of Babesia sp. in Little Penguins Eudyptula minor in Australia

Blood parasites are potential threats to the health of penguins and to their conservation and management. Little penguins Eudyptula minor are native to Australia and New Zealand, and are susceptible to piroplasmids (Babesia), hemosporidians (Haemoproteus, Leucocytozoon, Plasmodium) and kinetoplastids (Trypanosoma). We studied a total of 263 wild little penguins at 20 sites along the Australian southeastern coast, in addition to 16 captive-bred little penguins. Babesia sp. was identified in seven wild little penguins, with positive individuals recorded in New South Wales, Victoria and Tasmania. True prevalence was estimated between 3.4% and 4.5%. Only round forms of the parasite were observed, and gene sequencing confirmed the identity of the parasite and demonstrated it is closely related to Babesia poelea from boobies (Sula spp.) and B. uriae from murres (Uria aalge). None of the Babesia-positive penguins presented signs of disease, confirming earlier suggestions that chronic infections by these parasites are not substantially problematic to otherwise healthy little penguins. We searched also for kinetoplastids, and despite targeted sampling of little penguins near the location where Trypanosoma eudyptulae was originally reported, this parasite was not detected

Pelagic distribution of Gould’s Petrel (Pterodroma leucoptera): linking shipboard and onshore observations with remote-tracking data

This study describes and compares the pelagic distribution and migratory patterns of the two subspecies of Gould’s Petrel (Pterodroma leucoptera), and contrasts data obtained from tracking birds at sea using geolocators with observational data (shipboard sightings, by-catch records and beachcast specimens). While breeding, tracked individuals of both subspecies (P. l. leucoptera and P. l. caledonica) foraged within the Tasman Sea and south of the Australian continent, with forays west into the Indian Ocean before laying. After breeding, both subspecies migrated to distinct non-breeding ranges within the eastern tropical Pacific Ocean. Observational data identified the general pattern of migration and foraging areas of the species, whereas data from geolocators provided details of routes and timing of migration, core foraging ranges, and marked spatial and temporal segregation between the two subspecies. However, by attaching geolocators only to established breeders, as is typical of studies of small and medium-sized seabirds, these devices failed to identify that non-breeding birds (pre-breeders and adults that are deferring breeding) may not follow the same migratory schedules or have the same at-sea distribution. We conclude that integrating data from electronic tracking with observational data substantially improves our understanding of the pelagic distribution of seabird populations

Evaluating the Potential Effectiveness of Compensatory Mitigation Strategies for Marine Bycatch

Conservationists are continually seeking new strategies to reverse population declines and safeguard against species extinctions. Here we evaluate the potential efficacy of a recently proposed approach to offset a major anthropogenic threat to many marine vertebrates: incidental bycatch in commercial fisheries operations. This new approach, compensatory mitigation for marine bycatch (CMMB), is conceived as a way to replace or reduce mandated restrictions on fishing activities with compensatory activities (e.g., removal of introduced predators from islands) funded by levies placed on fishers. While efforts are underway to bring CMMB into policy discussions, to date there has not been a detailed evaluation of CMMB's potential as a conservation tool, and in particular, a list of necessary and sufficient criteria that CMMB must meet to be an effective conservation strategy. Here we present a list of criteria to assess CMMB that are tied to critical ecological aspects of the species targeted for conservation, the range of possible mitigation activities, and the multi-species impact of fisheries bycatch. We conclude that, overall, CMMB has little potential for benefit and a substantial potential for harm if implemented to solve most fisheries bycatch problems. In particular, CMMB is likely to be effective only when applied to short-lived and highly-fecund species (not the characteristics of most bycatch-impacted species) and to fisheries that take few non-target species, and especially few non-seabird species (not the characteristics of most fisheries). Thus, CMMB appears to have limited application and should only be implemented after rigorous appraisal on a case-specific basis; otherwise it has the potential to accelerate declines of marine species currently threatened by fisheries bycatch

Preliminary surveys of the endangered Lord Howe Island cockroach Panesthia lata (Blattodea: Blaberidae) on two islands within the Lord Howe Group, Australia

Little is known of the Endangered Lord Howe Island Cockroach Panesthia lata Walker, other than that it disappeared from Lord Howe Island following the introduction of ship rats Rattus rattus (Linnaeus, 1758) in 1918. With a rodent-eradication programme being planned for Lord Howe Island, an opportunity exists to reintroduce P. lata once rodents have been removed. Previous brief surveys of other islands within the Lord Howe Group have found that P. lata still occurs on some of these islands. In this study, further surveys were conducted on two of those islands (Blackburn and Roach) to gain a better understanding of the distribution and abundance of P. lata there and to investigate potential survey techniques. Brief observations were also made of the behaviour and ecology of the species. Extrapolation from survey plots showed that although 60% of the estimated population of 10 000 individuals on Blackburn Island were living beneath the sole Banyan Ficus macrophylla Desf. tree, P. lata was widely distributed across the island, utilising both native and exotic vegetation, including the introduced Rhodes Grass Chloris gayana Kunth. On Roach Island, the bulk of the estimated population of 3500 individuals occurred within Leafy Flat Sedge Cyperus lucidus R. Br. habitat. Panesthia lata seemingly spends considerable time sheltering within refuges rather than foraging on the surface; consequently, population estimates based on surface counts are underestimates. Improving either the accuracy or precision of these counts risks damaging individuals and their habitat. Mark-recapture techniques were not applicable for assessing the abundance of this species, but trials of novel attraction stations indicated that such devices could be useful for monitoring distribution and gross fluctuations in population size. Panesthia lata appears to feed on any dead vegetation, but primarily leaves. Individuals were relatively sedentary overnight, sheltering by day under any object that provided the appropriate microenvironment. Soil characteristics in areas where P. lata sheltered were significantly modified, suggesting that this species may play an important role in soil conditioning and nutrient cycling. Maintaining the rodent-free status of islands on which P. lata occurs is a high priority for this species