Disease in the dirt: how mange-causing mites decimated a Tasmanian wombat population

Mon, 25 Sep 2023 11:52:19 +1000

Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>

Andrew Pam
<https://theconversation.com/disease-in-the-dirt-how-mange-causing-mites-decimated-a-tasmanian-wombat-population-211992>

"More than 80% of Australian mammals are found nowhere else in the world. Many
of these unique, iconic creatures are under threat.

The most important and well-known threats are invasive species (such as cats
and foxes) and human-driven changes to the environment (such as land clearing
and climate change).

Invasive pathogens – parasites, viruses, bacteria, fungi – often attract less
attention, but they too can pose a significant threat to native animals.

Take sarcoptic mange, a parasitic disease that affects mammals around the
world. In a new study published in the journal Biology Letters, we report on
a sarcoptic mange outbreak in a population of bare-nosed wombats in central
Tasmania, which caused a population decline of more than 80%."

Cheers,
       *** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net               Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/                 Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/            Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/               Manager, Serious Cybernetics

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