Vehicles, pet predators, and diseases, oh my!

Reptile rehabilitation admissions in a city, using volunteer records from wildlife centres
A.K. Wolfe, P.W. Bateman, P.A. Fleming
Perth, Western Australia, is home to one of the most diverse reptile communities in the world1.
Those reptiles living in urban areas experience different challenges to survival than reptiles in the wild.
We obtained 12 years of reptile admission data from 3 wildlife centres in Perth to investigate the causes for admissions.

Thanks to:

For supplying their wildlife

admissions information!

30%

Lizard (ex. Bobtails)

Turtle

Why are bobtails brought to wildlife centres?

Percentage of total admissions

Percentage of total admissions

Why are wild reptiles brought to wildlife centres?

Snake

25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
0%

30%
25%
20%
15%
10%
5%
0%

Cause for admission

Cause for admission

Figure 1. Causes for reptile admissions from 2003-2014 in Perth, by

percentage of total admissions (ex. Bobtails; n=633) Bobtail admissions
are significantly different to all other lizards, and have thus been
excluded.

Figure 2. Causes for bobtail admissions from 2003-2014 in Perth, by

percentage of total admissions (n=2368). The 4 main causes are
highlighted. URTI = Upper Respiratory Tract Infection (bobtail flu).
70

Common name
Bobtail
Long-necked turtle
Gould's monitor
Dugite
Black-headed monitor

% of total (n=3001)
81%
Barking gecko
8%
Bearded dragon
2%
Kings skink
2%
Other
2%

Number of admissions

What are the most common reptiles admitted?

1%
1%
1%
<1% each

60
50
40
30
20

p = 0.019; F(1,10) = 7.738; R2 = 0.436

10
p = 0.014; F(3,8) = 6.671; R2 = 0.714

2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014

Car

Dog attack

Year

URTI

Other Illness

Figure 3. Trends in bobtail admissions over 12 years at Kanyana WRC

Of a total 2795 total recorded reptile admissions from 2003-2014, bobtails

made up 81%! These large-bodied, omnivorous skinks are commonly found in
backyards and all across Perth. While other lizard species are most commonly
admitted following pet attacks, bobtails are brought into wildlife centres
when they are sick with Upper Respiratory Tract Infection (URTI; bobtail flu) or
following dog attacks (cat attacks are negligible). There is an increasing trend
for admissions due to URTI and dog attacks!

Why are people most likely to bring sick/injured reptiles to wildlife centres?
Lizards (ex. Bobtails)

Bobtails only

Turtles

Snakes

2.0

1.5

7.0

2.0

6.0
1.5

1.0

4.0

1.0
0.5

5.0

0.5

3.0
2.0

1.5
1.0
0.5

1.0
0.0

p < 0.001; df = 55; 2 = 104.10

0.0

p < 0.001; df = 132; 2 = 291.60

0.0

p < 0.001; df = 11; 2 = 404.97

0.0

p > 0.10; df = 22; 2 = 33.19

Figure 4. The likelihood of a reptile being admitted to a wildlife centre for each cause. Values under the dotted line are less likely causes (indicated by the red arrows), and
values above the dotted line are more likely causes (indicated by the green arrows).