Dunnarts are small, carnivorous marsupials that have been recently placed on the threatened species list in Victoria.
“Successful reproduction is key to their survival but, unfortunately, we know very little about their reproductive biology,” explains Andrea.
“They have a very short gestation period of around 14 days and, once born, the joeys will continue their development in the mother’s pouch for up to 70 days.”
Andrea says understanding their reproduction process is key to the dunnart’s survival. However, traditional study methods are invasive and often stressful for the animal.
“Hormones are usually measured through blood samples, which means the animal must be captured and handled. This method is impractical, so we need better tools to monitor and describe the reproductive physiology of marsupials.”
This is where Andrea’s thesis comes in.
“The goal of my research is to characterise patterns of hormone expression in the faeces of female dunnarts across different reproductive stages. By using faecal samples, we can reduce or eliminate the need to capture and handle the animal,” she says.
“This approach is non-invasive and allows for the collection of multiple samples from an individual animal, allowing for a more comprehensive understanding of changes in hormone expression over time.”
“I hope my research will contribute to more effective monitoring and management of this species, both in captivity and the wild, and support much-needed conservation efforts.”
