2008 ARAZPA Research Award

This project has been looking at the basic reproductive biology of the species as well as some of the reproductive strategies they use. Areas that have been studied include:

• the timing of births
• fecundity and reproductive success of females
• follicular development
• hormone levels
• sperm storage in females
• timing of spermatogenic failure
• generation of sex ratio biases
• growth and development of young and its relationship to gender and parental size
• mating behaviour
• factors affecting siring success
• the role of multiple paternity in captive breeding.

The red-tailed phascogale has been relatively poorly studied, although several studies have been undertaken on wild animals. The captive breeding colony has maintained a viable captive colony, collected information on species biology, provided animals to other institutions for display, educational and research purposes, and produced animals to be used in trial releases.

This research has provided the baseline information required to conduct trial releases at ASDP, and these releases have provided valuable information on tracking phascogales, their nightly movements, survivorship, diet and different release techniques. Released females have weaned young, with some animals surviving more than 12 months post release and with recruitment of wild reared young observed during routine surveying.