Dice snakes live in freshwater but are able to spend prolonged periods in sea water for food foraging. However, it is unclear whether foraging in salty sea water has a physiological cost. Our experimental data suggest that even though dice snakes show a remarkable tolerance to waters with increased salinity, prolonged exposure induces significant physiological stress (increased metabolism, membrane rupture), which should limit their ability to stay in them for long periods of time.

Non-invasive collection of DNA from scats (faeces) can enable the rapid acquisition of data. Ensuring data reliability is important. We therefore aimed to validate genetic data obtained from koala scats by comparison with known pedigree relationships. We found that DNA from koala scats provides reliable data that can discriminate individuals and infer parentage. The ability to non-invasively sample koala DNA can assist in the collection of data critical for koala conservation.

Artificial wetlands are becoming critical habitats as natural wetlands continue to be degraded and destroyed. I surveyed quarry wetlands to assess how they provide habitat for frogs and the factors driving patterns. Quarry wetlands consistently harboured more species and healthier individuals than reference wetlands. We need to encourage wildlife utilisation of quarry wetlands, and the methods outlined here provide a powerful, yet simple, tool to assess the overall health of artificial wetlands.