Dining with Dasyurids: Using Nutritional Geometry to Improve Diets for Captive Breeding Programs

圈养繁殖计划是濒危北方袋鼬和袋獾保护和再引入计划的重要组成部分。该项目旨在启动查尔斯·帕金斯中心和塔龙加保护协会之间的新合作，利用营养几何学框架改善圈养繁殖有袋食肉动物的饮食。具体而言，该项目旨在：量化有袋类食肉动物的宏量营养素（碳水化合物，脂质和蛋白质）目标和调节行为;测试为什么动物在圈养中容易过度增重的解释;并量化营养目标与繁殖的变化。这些结果旨在被Taronga应用于改善有袋类食肉动物繁殖计划的圈养饮食。

Captive breeding programs are an important part of conservation and reintroduction plans for endangered Northern quolls and Tasmanian devils. This project aims to initiate new collaboration between the Charles Perkins Centre and Taronga Conservation Society to improve diets for captive breeding of marsupial carnivores using the framework of nutritional geometry. Specifically, the project aims to: quantify the macronutrient (carbohydrate, lipid and protein) targets and regulatory behaviour of marsupial carnivores; test explanations for why animals are prone to excess weight gain in captivity; and quantify changes in nutrient targets with reproduction. These results aims to be applied by Taronga to improve captive-diets for marsupial carnivore breeding programs.