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Journal ArticleDOI

Age-Specific Fertility in Three Populations of the Koala, Phascolarctos cinereus Goldfuss, in Victoria

RW Martin
- 01 Jan 1981 - 
- Vol. 8, Iss: 2, pp 275-283
TLDR
Mean fertility in three koala populations in Victoria in 1979 varied from 63% on French I, to 13% at Walkerville and 22% on Phillip I, and this is thought to be due to a widespread reproductive tract disease in females.
Abstract
Mean fertility in three koala populations in Victoria in 1979 varied from 63% on French I, to 13% at Walkerville and 22% on Phillip I. Similar differences between the two island populations have existed for at least 30 y. A method of assigning animals to age classes on the basis of the wear patterns on the premolar was devised and reproduction in 1979 examined on an age-specific basis. The low fertility was associated with a reproductive failure among females older than 3 y. On Phillip I. this is thought to be due to a widespread reproductive tract disease in females, possibly caused by ingestion of phytooestrogens from eucalypt foliage. At Walkerville a combination of reproductive tract disease, poor nutrition and heavy tick burdens is thought to be the cause.

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Journal ArticleDOI

Koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) dentition and nutrition. II. Implications of tooth wear in nutrition

TL;DR: The Koala has a greatly expanded caecum and colon where some fermentation appears to take place and where selective retention of fine particles and solutes takes place and the morphology of the teeth and the pattern of dentine exposure are important factors in the maintenance of effective occlusal morphology.
Journal ArticleDOI

Detecting bottlenecks using BOTTLENECK 1.2.02 in wild populations: the importance of the microsatellite structure

TL;DR: The efficiency with which this software detects bottlenecks in two koala populations of known history is tested, and the sign test performed well, suggesting this model could be the more realistic for marsupial microsatellites than other mutation models.
Journal ArticleDOI

Does time since colonization influence isolation by distance? A meta-analysis

TL;DR: It is proposed that the expected relationship between IBD and time since colonization is obscured by the influence of other factors, such as dispersal ability, geographical barriers, and proximity to glacial refugia.
Journal ArticleDOI

Causes of mortality and morbidity of wild koalas, phascolarctos cinereus (goldfuss), in victoria, australia

TL;DR: A peracute syndrome characterized by lassitude, depression, anorexia and coma was identified in moribund koalas submitted from the wild and also in hospitalized animals, thought to be initiated by intercurrent disease or trauma, long term hospitalization and frequent manipulation and treatments.
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