Native-born Research Articles (Page 1)

From Division to Democracy

Reliable estimates of abundance are critical for threatened species conservation. This study aimed to provide baseline abundance estimates of koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus) and southern greater gliders (Petauroides volans) on the Illawarra Range, New South Wales, from spatiotemporally-replicated thermal drone surveys. Koalas were detected at 19/47 sites (40.4%), whereas southern greater gliders were detected at 30/47 sites (63.8%). Using N-mixture models, 147 koalas [95% CI: 121, 173] and 195 southern greater gliders [95% CI: 174, 216] were estimated across the surveyed sites, with respective detection probabilities of 0.14 [95% CI: 0.05, 0.36] and 0.25 [95% CI: 0.18, 0.34]. After correcting for imperfect detection, the mean koala density was estimated at 0.13 individuals ha−1 [95% CI: 0.10, 0.15] and the mean southern greater glider density was estimated at 0.17 individuals ha−1 [95% CI: 0.15, 0.18]. These findings provide baseline data that will be valuable for monitoring population trends and potential declines of two endangered arboreal marsupials occurring on the Illawarra Range.

Abstract Context Anthropogenic modification of landscapes through clearing, degradation and fragmentation of habitat for human land-use can cause biodiversity loss, population declines and shifts in species distributions. The koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) is a forest-dependent specialist-folivore with a distribution overlapping areas of high anthropogenic use. Objectives Our study aimed to identify environmental and habitat factors influencing koala distribution across a modified landscape consisting of grazing land, plantation forestry and native vegetation, and identify areas for conservation action. Methods We used Passive Acoustic Monitoring to determine koala presence at 232 sites across South Gippsland, Victoria, Australia. We examined the influence of habitat, soil, climate, topography and disturbance variables on koala occurrence. Results Koalas were present at 49% of sites. Probability of site occupancy increased with cover of preferred koala food trees at a site and total tree cover in the landscape (within 500 m), and trended towards a decline with increasing organic carbon in the soil. Over 40% of the region was predicted to have a 50% or greater probability of occupancy by koalas and 11% of the region had 75% or greater probability. Of the 11%, half was located within parks, reserves and state forest, suggesting these protected forests represent core habitat; and one third was located within plantation estate, highlighting the importance of effectively managing this tenure for koalas. Conclusions To improve outcomes for koalas in this region, we recommend promoting and facilitating revegetation on private land, which currently provides limited habitat extent. Conservation action is needed to mitigate anthropogenic land-use impacts on species distributions.

Australia's most iconic animal, the koala (Phascolarctos cinereus), faces significant population decline and while conservation has focused on assisted breeding technology and reproductive pathologies, koala reproductive biology remains poorly understood. In particular, the koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) prostate has a vital role in the production of seminal plasma and facilitating successful reproduction. Furthermore, prostatitis regularly occurs as a consequence of chlamydiosis, a substantial factor in the ongoing decline of koala populations. Despite this, little is known about the koala prostate's molecular physiology. This study presents the first proteomic profile of the koala prostate, offering insights into its histological segmentation and broader functional significance. Prostatic tissue was collected from six mature male koalas, with samples taken from the anterior and posterior segments. Proteins were digested using filter-aided sample preparation and analysed via LC-MS/MS with Zeno-SWATH acquisition. Peptide spectra were processed using DIA-NN and evaluated in RStudio™ to identify differentially expressed proteins and compare the koala prostate proteome with those of other species. Functional annotation and pathway analysis revealed that whole prostate activity was primarily centred on protein translation and muscle function. Segment-specific proteomic profiles demonstrated slight proteomic differentiation, with secretory proteins contributing to segment-specific functions. Cross-species comparisons showed strong homology between the koala and human prostate proteomes. This proteome provides a foundation for future investigations into prostate-related pathologies in koalas. Furthermore, understanding the koala prostate at a molecular level helps advance wildlife conservation through a better comprehension of its role in male fertility and offers broader evolutionary insight into marsupial reproduction.

ABSTRACT Since the end of racial prerequisite cases in 1952, anyone born on US soil has been granted birthright citizenship. But, prominent political figures have recently questioned whether children born to undocumented immigrants should automatically receive citizenship. Despite the importance of this issue, there is limited research on public attitudes towards this policy, its determinants, and its consequences. We address these open questions using the 2020 CMPS, and find that while most support birthright citizenship, a significant minority favors its revocation. Support for a ban is higher among Whites than among minorities. Those with closer ties to the immigrant experience, more liberal attitudes, and lower Trump favorability are less likely to support a ban. Negative attitudes towards undocumented immigrants and racial attitudes are also strongly correlated with banning birthright citizenship. Finally, birthright citizenship attitudes are consequential: across each racial group, they were significantly associated with greater Trump support in 2020.

Analysis of ventricular free wall ratios and cardiac chamber weights in koalas, common ringtail possums, and common brushtail possums.

Chlamydiosis is a significant disease affecting Eastern Australian koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus), contributing to the decline of some koala populations, necessitating investigations into appropriate management strategies to address chlamydiosis in wild koala populations. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of a Chlamydia pecorum recombinant Major Outer Membrane Protein (rMOMP) vaccine as a potential strategy for managing chlamydiosis at a population level. This study comprised a blinded, randomised placebo-controlled trial, encompassing different koala populations where chlamydiosis is having differing effects. Wild koalas were recruited into a vaccination or a placebo treatment group and followed for 12 months, with recapture and resampling at 2, 6 and 12 months post vaccination. Vaccination stimulated a significant plasma anti-MOMP IgG response and greater IL-17 and TNFα mRNA fold change from rMOMP stimulated leukocytes, however, did not boost pre-existing immune responses, from natural infection, in koalas. The observed immunological stimulation did not translate to any effect on chlamydiosis or chlamydial shedding in our study populations. These findings highlight the necessity of improving our understanding of what constitutes a protective immune response in koalas to guide the development of a more effective vaccine. This study evaluated the estimated effect of vaccination necessary to achieve management outcomes predicted by modelling studies. It is possible that vaccination has a more modest effect and could benefit koala populations with a lower disease prevalence or be useful in conjunction with additional management strategies.

Abstract Drawing on women’s writing, family oral histories, and legal records, this article reveals how a patchwork of state and federal laws systematically undermined the rights and protections of U.S. citizenship for children. In the early twentieth century, Asian and Latinx immigrant families’ advocacy for their children’s citizenship and protections provoked a xenophobic backlash. Opponents argued that children born to immigrant families—particularly Asian American and Latinx children—were undeserving of U.S. citizenship. Avoiding explicit references to race, they weaponized the legal status of children’s parents—a thinly veiled proxy for race—to deepen segregation and strip these children of fundamental rights associated with citizenship. These rights included voting, owning property, and the right to remain in or return to the United States. Reinforced by congressional and state support for anti-miscegenation laws, citizen-only policies, and restrictive immigration and naturalization laws, these efforts entrenched profound inequities, creating intergenerational legal harms inherited by children, including those born in the United States. Even as court victories affirmed birthright citizenship and federal officials, along with progressive reformers, expanded initiatives to promote child welfare across the United States, immigrant families continued to navigate racialized laws and practices designed to undermine child and family welfare through legal knowledge, familial ties, and community networks. Their stories illuminate how immigrant families navigated immigration, naturalization, and state policies to preserve family ties in the age of exclusion.

Transactional and Autocratic Leadership in Practice: The Case of Trump’s Attempt to Redefine Birthright Citizenship

At the twenty first–century border, naturalized and native-born citizens are now subject to interrogations about their legal backgrounds and to possible arrests without legal representation and even before they are old enough to possess a criminal record or enter kindergarten. Legal power operates differently in the borderlands, particularly with respect to the presumption of innocence. This short commentary reflects on this legal gray zone: If border exceptionalism lacks judicial oversight, then it is crucial to have clarity on which presidential administration should be held accountable.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a global health threat for people and animals, including wildlife. The overuse and misuse of antimicrobials continues to fuel the spread of AMR. We performed a retrospective analysis of systemic antibiotic administration in fire‐affected koalas admitted to two wildlife treatment facilities during the catastrophic Australian wildfires in 2019–2020, to assess the practice of antimicrobial stewardship during a wildlife emergency. Triage and treatment records were obtained for fire‐affected koalas (n = 355) admitted to two facilities during the wildfires. Analyses showed that 40.3% of koalas at Facility A and 35.0% of koalas at Facility B received systemic antibiotics. The majority of antibiotics (63.9%, comprising multiple types of beta‐lactams) administered to koalas at Facility A were prophylactic treatments in koalas with noninfected moderate to severe cutaneous burn wounds. The majority of antibiotics (75.0%, comprising chloramphenicol and enrofloxacin) administered to koalas at Facility B were chlamydial disease treatments. Overall, 29.4% of all antibiotic treatments (predominantly beta‐lactams and enrofloxacin) were administered for recorded clinical infections. Where koala‐specific guidelines and protocols for treating burn wounds were not available, there was an overuse of systemic antibiotics and frequently sub‐optimal antibiotic stewardship in burnt koalas during the 2019–2020 wildfire emergency response. Best practice antibiotic prescribing was also not always feasible due to a shortage of first‐choice antibiotics (e.g., injectable chloramphenicol for chlamydial disease). This study highlights the importance of preparedness for future wildfire events and identifies a need for equipping veterinarians with guidelines for treating fire‐affected koalas during emergency situations. Additional education, guidance and resources are required to enable appropriate antimicrobial stewardship by responding veterinarians during wildlife emergencies.

Increased exposure to environmental contaminants is a concern for local koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) populations where massive transformation or loss of habitat has occurred over the past century as a consequence of increased urbanisation and industrial and agricultural practices. The koala is a specialist eucalypt feeder that relies on an almost exclusive diet of eucalypt foliage. Eucalypts can accumulate elements to varying degrees. Chronic ingestion and bioaccumulation could potentially affect the metabolic pathways of koalas and consequently interfere with detoxification of eucalypt plant secondary metabolites, reduce food intake, and cause long-term health effects. This field study provides the first evidence of the significance of the environmental factor, land use, region and host factors, age and sex, on bioaccumulation of trace element and heavy metal (elements) in koalas. Data on observed ranges of element concentrations are provided from the hair of 328 koalas sampled across eight different regions of NSW and Victoria, Australia. Land use was shown to be the most significant factor affecting trace elements and heavy metal concentrations in koalas, followed by region. Associations between element concentrations and host factors, koala age and sex, were only seen for a small number of elements.

Abstract Canada and the United States (USA) are top destinations for women travelling abroad for childbirth. However, end-to-end experiences of non-resident women travelling to seek childbirth and birthright citizenship in these destination countries are not fully understood, more so amongst Nigerian women, amongst whom the practice is particularly common. This study sought to address this gap in the literature. Twenty-five Nigerian women who had children in Canada or the USA were recruited via social media. In-depth interviews were conducted remotely, audio-recorded, transcribed, and analysed thematically. Five key themes emerged from this study including that the experience of visa application to travel abroad for childbirth was mixed; and the travel itself has recognised risks and can be stressful. Further, being pregnant did not mean women were treated well when they arrived at the entry port in the destination country. However, childbirth abroad was highly satisfactory for most, and obtaining birth certificates and passports for the babies was generally straightforward. Our findings underscore the necessity of clarifying the legality of seeking childbirth abroad and birthright citizenship. If deemed legal, the voices of women who opt to travel abroad for childbirth need to be elevated, their vulnerability recognised, and the quality of care they receive guaranteed.

The koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) is recognised as threatened across two thirds of its distribution and identified as particularly susceptible to climate change. The aim of this study was to assess the spatio-temporal variation in microclimate across koala home ranges and determine any tendency for koalas to exploit this variability. Temperature data loggers were set out in a grid pattern across the study site on St Bees Island, Queensland. Resident koalas were collared with GPS units recording location at night or during the day. Our results revealed that temperature variation across the landscape was greatest on the hottest days (~10 °C). During the day, koalas were found in areas of the landscape that recorded lower daytime temperatures, and during the night, they were found in areas that recorded the highest daytime temperatures. We postulate that koalas avoided the hottest areas of their range during summer days and were more likely to use cooler non-fodder trees but utilised them at night because these areas corresponded with the location of fodder trees. From our results, we suggest that the microclimate of non-fodder trees both (a) explains their selection by koalas during the day and (b) highlights their importance to koala persistence, in addition to the known fodder species.

ABSTRACTProcesses of koala recovery will require reintroductions into parts of the species' former range and/or supplementation of other populations to assist their longer term viability. In this study, six wild‐caught and three rehabilitated koalas were translocated into a new habitat area. The area into which the translocated koalas were introduced was not the subject of significant habitat use by other koalas at the time of their introduction, and a soft‐release protocol that temporarily confined translocated individuals to a tree species known to be preferred for feeding purposes was also employed. Based on the results of a short‐term radio‐tracking programme, the translocation was deemed successful given no mortalities (including the survival of pouch young known to be present at initial capture), minimal movements away from the release site and rapid commencement of home‐ranging behaviours. Male koalas ranged greater distances from their respective release sites than did female koalas. One subadult male koala moved approximately 1.6 km from the release site over a period of 5–6 weeks following release but subsequently returned. Koala activity across the area known to be utilised by the translocated koalas at the time of collar removal was monitored benignly using Spot Assessment Technique sampling at 250 m intervals for the ensuing 3 years, during which time koala activity remained dynamic but statistically constant, implying longer term survival and maintenance of site fidelity by the translocated koalas. The protocols utilised for this translocation are likely to provide a useful tool for future small‐scale koala translocation programmes where reintroductions or population supplementation is required.

ABSTRACT Birth tourism in Canada is defined as the practice of giving birth on Canadian soil while on a nonresident visa for the express purpose of enabling the child to obtain Canadian citizenship. Proponents of restricting territorial birthright citizenship in Canada portray birth tourism as an illegitimate form of citizenship acquisition, and as a threat to the institution of Canadian citizenship. Yet, very little is known empirically about the motivations of people who are labelled as ‘birth tourists’. Analyzing 49 in-depth interviews with nonresident mothers who gave birth in Canada, we argue that this population is reductively, inaccurately characterised as strictly instrumental citizenship seekers. Our findings reveal that mothers had diverse migratory and reproductive motivations and experiences that ranged from ‘strategic’ to ‘accidental,’ and that giving birth in Canada was often what we term ‘incidental’ to other personal and professional aspirations pursued across international borders. Proposals to thwart birth tourism by abolishing unrestricted jus soli citizenship therefore risk excluding a diverse cross-section of migrants who have a range of reasons for having families in Canada, including those who may end up forming meaningful, enduring attachments to Canadian society. This article thus denaturalizes the myth of the deserving, 'natural-born' citizen.

Koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus) face many threats, with one of them being the disease chlamydiosis caused by the bacterium Chlamydia pecorum, a cause for infertility and one of the main causes of population decline. In New South Wales, Queensland, and the Australian Capital Territory, the koala is an endangered species, but in Victoria, koalas are widespread and overabundant in some areas. The koala populations in the You Yangs Regional Park (YYRP) and Brisbane Ranges National Park (BRNP) in Victoria are reported to be in decline, although there have been no studies looking into population density or disease. The aim of this study was to investigate the presence of C. pecorum in the koala populations of the YYRP and BRNP to understand whether disease may be a cause of concern. DNA was extracted from scats, and qPCR was used to detect the presence and load of C. pecorum. C. pecorum was found in 12/18 (66.7%) scat samples. Clinical signs of disease, age, and sex did not affect infection shedding load. These results confirm the presence of chlamydiosis within the YYRP and BRNP koala populations. More detailed studies are recommended to quantify prevalence of the disease in these populations and to understand the consequences of chlamydiosis in these areas.

Marsupials have a narrower range of forelimb morphological features than placental mammals. It is hypothesized that this is due to a constraint in the reproductive biology of marsupials. The constraint is that newborn marsupials must crawl into their mother's pouch. However, anatomical knowledge of the brachial plexus in marsupials is scarce and has not been discussed. In the present study, the purpose is to examine the anatomy of the brachial plexuses of a koala, a Tasmanian devil, and a common ringtail possum and to discuss the brachial plexus of marsupials with reference to the previous reports. One adult koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) specimen, one adult Tasmanian devil (Sarcophilus harrisii), and one adult common ringtail possum (Pseudocheirus peregrinus) were used in this study. The ventral rami of C5, C6, C7, C8, and T1 formed the brachial plexus in all 3 marsupials. Each nerve branch differed by one segment among the 3 marsupials. Therefore, the brachial plexus was considered in the form of a few differences among marsupials. Because of a quite difficulty of getting an opportunity for anatomical examination on marsupials, an accumulation of cases like the present study is needed for future quantitative and qualitative analyses of the brachial plexus pattern of the marsupials.

Social science research has produced evidence of chauvinistic attitudes concerning who should have access to the welfare state's benefits. Citizens generally consider individuals of immigrant-origin less deserving of welfare support than comparable native-born citizens. This study expands on existing research by investigating whether and for whom the presence of welfare chauvinistic elements in a proposal to reform a social benefit translates into support for the proposal. A forced-choice survey experiment was conducted to estimatethe causal impact of welfare chauvinistic elements on preferences for fictional proposals to reform social assistance in Denmark. The experiment randomly varied two welfare chauvinistic elements: open welfare chauvinism, which explicitly reduces benefits for non-citizens, and concealed welfare chauvinism, which introduces a minimum length-of-residence requirement for eligibility. The results show that proposing to lower the social assistance rate for non-citizens positively affected support for the reform, whereas a minimum length-of-residence eligibility requirement had no significant effect on preferences. Further analysis illuminates that preference for open welfare chauvinism is greater among right-leaning voters. These findings indicate that a public opinion favoring welfare chauvinism may undermine the social legitimacy of immigrant inclusive means-tested benefits.

ABSTRACTBackgroundReference intervals (RIs) are an essential tool for assessment of clinical pathology data of animals, and are particularly important for monitoring the health status of free‐ranging and captive wildlife, such as koalas (Phascolarctos cinereus).ObjectivesThe purpose of this study was to: (1) provide comprehensive serum biochemistry reference intervals based on clinically healthy South Australian koalas from two populations, Mount Lofty Ranges (MLR) and Kangaroo Island (KI); and (2) identify any factors that can affect biochemical analytes, including koala retrovirus (KoRV) and Chlamydia pecorum subclinical infection status, age, sex, and population.MethodsSerum biochemistry analytes were determined in 206 clinically healthy South Australian koalas caught from the wild in 2016 and 2018 using a Cobas 8000 Chemistry Analyzer and analyzed using Reference Value Advisor and SPSS v28 Statistical software.ResultsBiochemical reference intervals were established. Also, clinically and statistically significant differences in analytes were found based on age for alkaline phosphatase and phosphate, and albumin: globulin ratio, globulins, and total protein, most likely associated with physiological bone growth and immunological development, respectively, as observed in other species. Statistically significant differences between animals subclinically positive for KoRV and Chlamydia pecorum, were found for glucose and gamma glutamyl transferase respectively; however, these were marginal, and their reference intervals were similar.ConclusionsThis study is the first to describe serum biochemical reference intervals for clinically healthy South Australian koalas of known Chlamydia and KoRV infection status. It represents an important tool to assist health assessments of koalas by veterinarians, as well as research and population monitoring.