Progress report I

Comparative study and assessment of career training programmes for secondary school students and graduates in Singapore

Gram-negative bacterial infections and cardiovascular parasitism in green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas)

Objective To investigate causes of ill health and mortality in juvenile wild green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas) found along the mid-north west coast of Western Australia between June and October of 1997. Procedure Department of Conservation and Land Management rangers submitted four dead or dying green sea turtles from separate incidents for veterinary examination, necropsy, and bacteriological, parasitological and histopatho-logical examination. Results Numerous different species of trematodes belonging to the families Pronocephalidae, Microscaphidiidae and Paramphistomidae were detected in the intestines of two turtles examined, and in all turtles there was severe spirorchid fluke infection including Haemoxenicon sp, Amphiorchis sp and Hapalotrema sp. Histopathological examination demonstrated severe multifocal to diffuse granulomatous vasculitis, aggregations of spirorchid fluke eggs and microabscesses throughout various tissues including intestines, kidney, liver, lung and brain. Cultures and or histopathological examination demonstrated disseminated Gram-negative bacterial infections including salmonella, E coli, Citrobacter freundii and Moraxella sp. Conclusion Infections caused by salmonellae, E coli and other Gram-negative bacteria should be considered as causes of systemic illness and death in wild green sea turtles infected with spirorchid cardiovascular flukes and other internal parasites

Reintroduction of macropods (Marsupialia: Macropodoidea) in Australia—A review

This paper describes six recent attempts to conserve threatened wallabies (Marsupialia: Macropodoidea) by reintroduction. All ended in failure. We place these attempts within the context of nineteen other reintroductions of macropods known to us. Success of reintroduction of macropods appears to depend critically on control or exclusion of exotic terrestrial predators. Islands without exotic predators support a success rate of reintroductions an order of magnitude higher than that of mainland sites and islands with exotic predators (82% cf. 8%). Reintroductions have generally been poorly monitored and poorly documented. Researchers have often failed to appreciate the enormity of the task of controlling introduced predators (foxes and feral cats and dogs) and herbivores (rabbits), and to make adequate use of existing technology (radiotelemetry), and have been unable to overcome the logistical problems of managing reintroductions far from their research bases. Successes in management and reintroduction of other threatened fauna in Australia suggest that effective control of introduced predators and rabbits using the poison 1080, for which many native species have a high tolerance, may provide an effective means of managing mainland reintroductions

The biology of banded (Lagostrophus fasciatus) and rufous (Lagorchestes hirsutus) hare-wallabies (Diprotodontia:Macropodidae) on Dorre and Bernier Islands, Western Australia

Sex ratio, reproduction, body condition and morphology of banded (Lagostrophus fasciatus) and rufous (Lagorchestes hirsutus) hare-wallabies were assessed on Dorre and Bernier Islands. Data are derived from 236 banded hare-wallabies and 161 rufous hare-wallabies captured between 1959 and 1999. The sex ratio of captured banded hare-wallabies tended to be female-biased (0.79: 1 male: female) but was not a significant departure from parity. In contrast, pouch young tended towards a male bias at 1.35:1. Females produced 1-2 young per year. They were capable of producing young at 1000 g, but the incidence of females carrying pouch young or lactating increased from 39% for females of 1000-1400 g to 80% for females of 1401-1800 g, then decreased slightly to 76% for females > 1800 g. Births occurred throughout the year but there was some indication of a decline in the latter half of the year. Captured banded hare-wallabies ranged in weight from 850 to 2300 g. Animals on Dorre Island were in significantly better body condition than those on Bernier Island, although this could be an artefact of their shorter pes length. There was no evidence of sexual dimorphism and no differences in morphological measurements taken, other than pes length, between the two island populations. The sex ratio of captured rufous hare-wallabies was close to parity at 0.99:1 and for pouch young tended to be male-biased at 2:1. The smallest female with young weighed 1215 g, but the incidence of females carrying pouch young or lactating increased from 43% for females of 1215-1660 g to 61% for females of 1661-2015 g and 100% for females >2015 g. Females carried pouch young in all months sampled (March-September) and one incidence of twinning was noted. Captured rufous hare-wallabies weighed 600-2550 g. Body condition was similar for males and females and between islands, but smaller females of reproductive age were in poorer body condition than larger females. There was no evidence of sexual dimorphism but pes lengths of animals on Dorre Island were significantly shorter, head lengths longer and tail lengths shorter, than those on Bernier Island. Rufous hare-wallabies appear to show regional variation in body size, being smaller in the wetter and warmer Tanami/Alice Springs region and larger on the drier and cooler Shark Bay islands

Arsenic compounds in tissues of the leatherback turtle, <i>Dermochelys coriacea</i>

Examination of extracts of tissues of a leatherback turtle, Dermochelys coriacea (L.) (Reptilia: Dermochelyidae) by high-performance liquid chromatography inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry has demonstrated the presence of arsenobetaine, arsenocholine and inorganic arsenate in heart muscle and liver, and arsenobetaine and inorganic arsenate in pectoral muscle. Although arsenobetaine was the major form in all tissues, inorganic arsenate and arsenocholine accounted for 50% and 15% respectively of arsenic in aqueous extracts of the liver.</jats:p