Native Animals
The wingless grasshopper that could cross Bass Strait, but not the Yarra River
New genomic data can track Australia’s wingless matchstick grasshopper from Tasmania to the mainland, say University of Melbourne experts.
Lockdown ‘field trip’ reveals whereabouts of Australian grasshoppers
Ecologists from the University of Melbourne used historical survey notes to map the location of hundreds of species of Australian grasshopper
No bones about it, dunnarts crawl before growing a skeleton
The development of the dunnart provides a model animal to study other unique Australian fauna and could aid conservation, shows University of Melbourne research
Saving Melbourne’s platypus with smart water storage
Using smart rainwater tanks and urban lakes, a new project that includes the University of Melbourne aims to provide crucial water to protect platypus habitat.
When one feral cat just isn’t another feral cat
A University of Melbourne ecologist has been counting feral cats using camera traps to help better control them but Artificial Intelligence may speed the work
Delving into the DNA of our iconic platypus and echidna
The recently published platypus and echidna genomes are a valuable resource for both research and conservation, say University of Melbourne experts
The grasshopper that was lost, then found, is now endangered
After thought to be extinct, the Key’s Matchstick Grasshopper was found; but as its habitat shrinks, University of Melbourne research finds it’s now endangered.
The wallaby that's permanently pregnant
The swamp wallaby is the the only mammal known to be pregnant and lactating throughout the female’s entire adult life finds new University of Melbourne research
Rediscovering a ‘lost’ species
A rare insect species, Key’s Matchstick Grasshopper, was thought to be extinct in Victoria but has now been rediscovered by University of Melbourne researchers.
The science that stops possums eating your garden
When possums ate her garden, University of Melbourne's Professor Lynne Selwood fought back and invented a spray that protects plants from possum browsing.