Identification of koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) faecal cortisol metabolites using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry and enzyme immunoassays
The koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) is an arboreal folivorous marsupial endemic to Australia. Anthropogenic activities and climate change are threats to this species’ survival and are potential stressors. A suitable non-invasive method is needed to objectively detect stress in koalas. Under conditions of stress, the concentration of the hormone cortisol in plasma or in saliva is […]
Findings from a feeding study of the koala (Phascolarctos cinereus adustus) at the San Francisco Zoo
Abstract 10.1002/zoo.1430110608.abs The feeding behavior of four captive adult koalas was investigated at the San Francisco Zoo. This study examined the correlations between koala preference for selected Eucalyptus species and the nutritional and chemical components of those species. The total grams of Eucalyptus leaves consumed daily per animal were not significantly different, averaging 400 grams. […]
Female koalas prefer bellows in which lower formants indicate larger males
Despite an extensive literature on the role of acoustic cues in mate choice little is known about the specific vocal traits that female mammals prefer. We used resynthesis techniques and playback experiments to examine the behavioural responses of oestrous female koalas, Phascolarctos cinereus, to male bellows in which a specific acoustic cue to body size, […]