Bandicoot bunkers: training wild-caught northern brown bandicoots (Isoodon macrourus) to use microchip-automated safe refuge

Abstract

ContextSoft-release involving supplementary feeding or shelter is commonly used in wildlife reintroduction and rehabilitation projects. However, competition for nestboxes and supplementary feed, as well as predation at feed stations or nestboxes, can reduce the benefits of soft-release. The use of microchip-automated technology can potentially alleviate these concerns, by providing targeted supplementation to only the intended, microchipped animals. AimsWe aimed to train wild-caught northern brown bandicoots, Isoodon macrourus, to use microchip-automated doors to access safe refuge. MethodsBandicoots were trapped from the wild and brought to the Hidden Vale Wildlife Centre, where eight were trained to use the doors in a six-stage process, and then six were trained in a three-stage process, using a peanut butter reward. Key resultsBandicoots learned to use the doors in as few as 3 days. The duration of visits to the door generally increased during training, although the number of visits decreased. ConclusionsThe bandicoots successfully learned to use the microchip-automated doors, which shows that this technology has great potential with wildlife, particularly given the short training times required. ImplicationsThe use of these microchip-automated doors with wildlife has many potential applications, including supplementary feeding stations, nestboxes, monitoring in the wild, as well as enrichment for wild animals in captivity.

Monitoring with microchips: Microchip‐automated doors as a potential novel method for tracking the survival of released Northern Brown Bandicoots

“…Prior to release, the animals used their nest boxes almost every night (Edwards et al . 2020), and so the lack of use once released was surprising.…”

“…Furthermore, the battery life of the doors is applicable to studies in situ, with batteries not needing to be changed from the start of training to use the doors (Edwards et al . 2020) to completion of this study (approximately three months).…”

“…Nest boxes measured 262 mm wide × 310 mm high × 600 mm deep (more details in Edwards, et al . 2020). The ten animals were trained to use the doors to access the nest boxes on the ground in a staged process based on the animal’s responses to the doors, with gradual progression to full functionality where the animal had to push on a locked door to open it (Edwards et al .…”

“…The ten animals were trained to use the doors to access the nest boxes on the ground in a staged process based on the animal’s responses to the doors, with gradual progression to full functionality where the animal had to push on a locked door to open it (Edwards et al . 2020). The doors unlocked when the microchipped animal was within approximately 20 cm of the door and locked behind it when the animal moved to the rear of the nest box (approximately 20 cm from the door).…”

“…The animals were trained in as little as three days to use the doors (Edwards et al . 2020) but remained in captivity for other experiments for approximately three months.…”