New Zealand Journal of Zoology abstracts
Do brushtail possums (Trichosurus vulpecula) show preferences for
exogenous odours associated with food?
J. H. TODD
J. R. WAAS
Department of Biological Sciences
University of Waikato
Private Bag 3105
Hamilton, New Zealand
C. E. O'CONNOR
Animal Behaviour and Welfare Research Centre
AgResearch
Private Bag 3123
Hamilton
Abstract The brushtail possum is the major vertebrate pest in
New Zealand, and during control operations a variety of odours are used to lure
possums to traps and poison baits. Paired tests were performed in large outdoor
enclosures to determine if the preferences of possums for these odours
differed. In Experiment 1, we tested the preferences of six possums for orange,
cinnamon, cloves, peanut and almond odours. The subjects showed no significant
preference for any of the odours, and no one was preferred more than water. In
Experiment 2, we tested the preferences of the same six possums for the
synthetic odour of the plant
Dactylanthus taylorii, which appears to be
highly attractive to wild possums in New Zealand. Preferences for the synthetic
Dactylanthus odour were determined relative to an odour the possums were
familiar with (orange) and a novel odour (peppermint). There were no
significant differences between the responses shown by the possums to the three
odours. Possums may have shown little preference for these odours because they
were either unfamiliar (the distribution of
Dactylanthus has become
restricted in New Zealand) or were not associated with a food. These results
suggest that a positive post-ingestive experience is important for the
formation of odour preferences.
Keywords brushtail possums; Trichosurus vulpecula;
odour; preferences; familiarity; pests; Dactylanthus
Z97023
Received 25 June 1997; accepted 13 October 1999
PDF file of entire paper: medium quality (652K); (scanned from paper original: notes about this process)
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