The Times Australia
The Times World News

.

Unique study shows we can train wild predators to hunt alien species they've never seen before

  • Written by Finn Cameron Gillies Parker, PhD candidate, University of Sydney
Unique study shows we can train wild predators to hunt alien species they've never seen before

Humans have trained domestic animals for thousands of years, to help with farming, transport, or hunting.

But can we train wild animals to help us in conservation work? Wild animals can be taught to recognise dangerous predators[1], avoid toxic food[2], and stay away from people[3].

However, there are few examples of using classical learning techniques to train free-living animals to act in a way that benefits their ecosystem. In our newly published study in Biological Conservation[4], we trained wild Australian native predatory rats to recognise an unfamiliar species of cockroach prey. It worked – in a simulated cockroach invasion, this training increased predation rates by the rats.

Read more: Pest plants and animals cost Australia around $25 billion a year – and it will get worse[5]

Growing number of aliens

As humans have engaged in global trade, various species have moved across otherwise impossible-to-cross geographical barriers and into new environments. These species are known as alien species, and their number continues to grow[6].

Some alien species are relatively harmless in their new environment, and can even positively affect the ecosystem[7]. However, many others have costly[8] and devastating impacts on biodiversity[9] and agriculture[10].

Not all species that arrive in new environments become established or spread. Even fewer of these species become invasive. Yet we don’t really know why some species are successful and others aren’t, and there are many different theories[11]. One reason some species fail to thrive in new environments is when native species resist, either by eating or simply outcompeting the arrivals.

A pale brown elongated bug with darker specks on its wings
Speckled cockroaches, the alien species chosen by the researchers for this study, don’t live in Sydney. Belinda Forbes/iNaturalist, CC BY-NC[12][13]

However, native species can only resist against alien species if they can respond appropriately, which they may not do if they’ve never encountered the invaders before (biologists call this being “naive”).

Naivete can occur when two species with no recent evolutionary or ecological history come into contact with one another. Prey naivete is well documented, and the effect of alien predators on native prey that can’t recognise or escape them is significant.

But the role of native predator naivete in biological invasions is less clear. Native predators may not recognise an alien prey species or lack the ability to hunt them effectively. Sometimes predators may simply prefer to hunt their natural prey. When predators are naive, alien prey can establish and spread unchecked.

Read more: 1.7 million foxes, 300 million native animals killed every year: now we know the damage foxes wreak[14]

Speeding up a natural process

Native predators do eventually learn to hunt alien prey[15], but this process can take a long time when prey aren’t encountered often.

We wanted to know if we could speed up learning by exposing a free-living native predator to the scent of a novel prey species paired with a reward.

We conducted our study on bushland in the outskirts of Sydney, New South Wales, using native bush rats[16] (Rattus fuscipes) as our model predator. Our chosen alien prey species, speckled cockroaches[17] (Nauphoeta cinerea), don’t live in Sydney and surrounds, so rats have no experience with them.

We housed cockroaches in small boxes for days at a time with absorbent paper on the floor to collect odour. When using them as prey, we froze and tethered the cockroaches to tent pegs, to avoid accidental introduction of cockroaches in the area.

A grayscale image with a rodent in the top left corner sitting on leaf litter A bush rat caught on camera interacting with the tea strainer and the tethered reward of a dead roach. Finn Cameron Gillies Parker, Author provided

We confirmed the presence of bush rats at 24 locations, and randomly allocated 12 as training sites and 12 as non-training (control) sites. At the training sites, we placed a metal tea strainer with the cockroach smell, and three dead cockroaches as a reward. The tea strainer and cockroaches were tethered to a tent peg in the ground so rats couldn’t carry them away.

We used cameras to observe the rat behaviour, and checked the training stations every one to two days. We also moved the stations so the rats wouldn’t just learn to associate the reward with the location.

Trained for an invasion

Immediately after training, we conducted a simulated invasion at all sites. The invasion involved ten dead and tethered cockroach “invaders”. The number of “surviving” (that is, uneaten) cockroaches was recorded each day for five days.

We compared prey survival rates in sites with trained and untrained rats, and found cockroach prey in training sites were 46% more likely to be eaten than prey in non-training sites.

We also found the number of cockroaches eaten during training was a significant predictor for how many were eaten on the first night of the “invasion”.

We also wanted to ensure we had not just attracted more rats to training sites during the training process. To do this, immediately after the invasion we used cameras to compare rat visits to all sites using a peanut oil attractant. There was no difference between training and non-training sites.

Our study is the first to train free-living predators to hunt species they’ve never seen before. It shows the potential for training our native species to fight biological invasions. More broadly, we think our study adds to the growing evidence that training animals can help to address a variety of problems, such as birds picking up litter[18] and rats sniffing out landmines[19].

Read more: Alien invaders: the illegal reptile trade is a serious threat to Australia[20]

References

  1. ^ taught to recognise dangerous predators (www.newscientist.com)
  2. ^ toxic food (www.bbc.com)
  3. ^ stay away from people (theconversation.com)
  4. ^ newly published study in Biological Conservation (www.sciencedirect.com)
  5. ^ Pest plants and animals cost Australia around $25 billion a year – and it will get worse (theconversation.com)
  6. ^ their number continues to grow (www.nature.com)
  7. ^ positively affect the ecosystem (theconversation.com)
  8. ^ have costly (www.abc.net.au)
  9. ^ impacts on biodiversity (www.theguardian.com)
  10. ^ agriculture (www.smh.com.au)
  11. ^ there are many different theories (doi.org)
  12. ^ Belinda Forbes/iNaturalist (www.inaturalist.org)
  13. ^ CC BY-NC (creativecommons.org)
  14. ^ 1.7 million foxes, 300 million native animals killed every year: now we know the damage foxes wreak (theconversation.com)
  15. ^ eventually learn to hunt alien prey (theconversation.com)
  16. ^ native bush rats (australian.museum)
  17. ^ speckled cockroaches (bie.ala.org.au)
  18. ^ birds picking up litter (www.theguardian.com)
  19. ^ sniffing out landmines (apopo.org)
  20. ^ Alien invaders: the illegal reptile trade is a serious threat to Australia (theconversation.com)

Read more https://theconversation.com/unique-study-shows-we-can-train-wild-predators-to-hunt-alien-species-theyve-never-seen-before-210644

Times Magazine

Building a Strong Online Presence with Katoomba Web Design

Katoomba web design is more than just creating a website that looks good—it’s about building an online presence that reflects your brand, engages your audience, and drives results. For local businesses in the Blue Mountains, a well-designed website a...

September Sunset Polo

International Polo Tour To Bridge Historic Sport, Life-Changing Philanthropy, and Breath-Taking Beauty On Saturday, September 6th, history will be made as the International Polo Tour (IPT), a sports leader headquartered here in South Florida...

5 Ways Microsoft Fabric Simplifies Your Data Analytics Workflow

In today's data-driven world, businesses are constantly seeking ways to streamline their data analytics processes. The sheer volume and complexity of data can be overwhelming, often leading to bottlenecks and inefficiencies. Enter the innovative da...

7 Questions to Ask Before You Sign IT Support Companies in Sydney

Choosing an IT partner can feel like buying an insurance policy you hope you never need. The right choice keeps your team productive, your data safe, and your budget predictable. The wrong choice shows up as slow tickets, surprise bills, and risky sh...

Choosing the Right Legal Aid Lawyer in Sutherland Shire: Key Considerations

Legal aid services play an essential role in ensuring access to justice for all. For people in the Sutherland Shire who may not have the financial means to pay for private legal assistance, legal aid ensures that everyone has access to representa...

Watercolor vs. Oil vs. Digital: Which Medium Fits Your Pet's Personality?

When it comes to immortalizing your pet’s unique personality in art, choosing the right medium is essential. Each artistic medium, whether watercolor, oil, or digital, has distinct qualities that can bring out the spirit of your furry friend in dif...

The Times Features

NSW has a new fashion sector strategy – but a sustainable industry needs a federally legislated response

The New South Wales government recently announced the launch of the NSW Fashion Sector Strategy, 2025–28[1]. The strategy, developed in partnership with the Australian Fashion ...

From Garden to Gift: Why Roses Make the Perfect Present

Think back to the last time you gave or received flowers. Chances are, roses were part of the bunch, or maybe they were the whole bunch.   Roses tend to leave an impression. Even ...

Do I have insomnia? 5 reasons why you might not

Even a single night of sleep trouble can feel distressing and lonely. You toss and turn, stare at the ceiling, and wonder how you’ll cope tomorrow. No wonder many people star...

Wedding Photography Trends You Need to Know (Before You Regret Your Album)

Your wedding album should be a timeless keepsake, not something you cringe at years later. Trends may come and go, but choosing the right wedding photography approach ensures your ...

Can you say no to your doctor using an AI scribe?

Doctors’ offices were once private. But increasingly, artificial intelligence (AI) scribes (also known as digital scribes) are listening in. These tools can record and trans...

There’s a new vaccine for pneumococcal disease in Australia. Here’s what to know

The Australian government announced last week there’s a new vaccine[1] for pneumococcal disease on the National Immunisation Program for all children. This vaccine replaces pr...