BIAZA Newsletter | Winter 2017 | Issue 13

Investigating lumpy jaw in macropods RESEARCHROUNDUP By Jessica Harley, Chair of BIAZA Research Committee

“I am exceptionally grateful to the BIAZA zoos AND the individual staff who helped me immensely during my visits and with the questionnaire; without them, none of this would have possible.” Jessica Rendle

Photo: Dr David McClelland - Adelaide Zoo

In search of health and hoppiness! Lumpy jaw is a leading cause of death in zoo- housed macropods (kangaroos, wallabies and their relatives) worldwide (Vogelnest and Portas, 2008; Borland et al., 2012). The disease is distinguished by inflammation and infection of the jaw bone, causing the characteristic appearance of lumps to the jaw (Vogelnest and Portas, 2008). Treatments for lumpy jaw are often invasive and unsuccessful, and disease recurrence is common; the implication being that provision of treatment currently tends to be considered costly and without benefit for the zoo, both financially and in terms of the animals’ health and welfare. Preventive measures that could be implemented in the day-to-day management of macropods would be preferable to

Jessica Rendle is a Ph.D. candidate studying Conservation Medicine at the College of Veterinary Medicine at Murdoch University in Western Australia. Her project investigating lumpy jaw (a disease many of us are all too familiar with) in captive macropods received Research Committee approval. Several BIAZA collections took part in the questionnaire and UK zoos Paignton, Blackpool, and Flamingo Land were visited by Jessica where she carried out additional data collection for her project. Jessica is still in the data collection phase of the project and is currently collecting data in Australian collections. An overview of her project along with the desired outcomes of the research and how this will impact collections can be found below. Watch this space for updates on the results of her study.

Photo: Cris Janson Piers Yorkshire Wildlife Park

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