What are you eating?

Oct 21, 2018

188

What are you eating?We have started our spring sample collection and were lucky enough to visit some wombats in care. Julie was checking out which grasses they were eating.  
 

Stephen, Helen, and 4 others like this.

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Stephen BlundenBacker

They look very quiet.... So do you do a quadrant analysis of grass species before letting them into graze? Do they consume what we use for other species around 3% of BWt?

Oct 21, 20181

Hayley StannardResearcher

They are young animals in care that we went to visit. Our study animals are wild animals that we can't get that close to, so we are looking at analysing diet and then grass nutrients within their habitats. Yes past research has show they eat 2-3% of BWt per day.

Nov 04, 20180

Stephen BlundenBacker

Hayley I was just wondering whether you did a grass species identification for those animals in care when looking at what they were grazing. No need for a reply.

Nov 05, 20180

About This Project

Dead wombats walking: Seasonal nutrition and mange in free-ranging bare-nosed wombats

Bare-nosed wombats are under threat from sarcoptic mange caused by the sarcoptic mange mite, Sarcoptes scabieii. Initially wombats suffer hair loss and become itchy, with the later stages of the disease leading to skin fissures, bacterial infections and ultimately death. Our study will identify how nutrition of free-ranging wombats is related to mange prevalence. By comparing the incidence and severity of sarcoptic mange, to the nutritional content of wombat dietary items and nutritional status.