Providing facilities for animal-based research
Macquarie University's Wallumattagal Campus hosts an 11-hectare Fauna Park, adjacent to an endangered Sydney Turpentine Ironbark Forest.
A vibrant community of animal behaviourists are based at the Fauna Park, where they work on lizards, birds, frogs, fishes, spiders, bees, ants, Q-flies and a range of other invertebrates.
The Fauna Park has excellent animal facilities, combining:
- climate-controlled animal housing
- semi-natural outdoor enclosures
- an artificial stream
- large ponds
- a seawater facility
- specialised enclosures for different species.
These facilities provide researchers and students with excellent resources for behavioural and ecological studies in both controlled and semi-natural environments.
Our specialised enclosures
Fish
Researchers and students working on fish behaviour also have access to the Seawater Facility, and many large plastic water tanks enclosed under predator-proof netting.
Lizards
Research on lizards is supported by six large outdoor enclosures that replicate local natural environments, and there are two climate-controlled sheds for housing amphibians and reptiles for behavioural and cognition studies.
There is also a bird-proof netted enclosure with 40 three-metre plastic tubs for experimental work on lizards, in addition to several more netted enclosures with additional facilities for housing small populations of lizards.
Birds
A large number of aviaries support work on various research projects. There are also large outdoor, netted enclosures that could house larger birds.
Invertebrates
Invertebrates are mostly housed indoors in climate-controlled facilities although seasonal studies are done in outdoor netted enclosures.
The Fauna Park also has excellent laboratory facilities, especially for work on the Q-fly.