Carcasses – News, Research and Analysis – The Conversation

July 7, 2026

Scavenger animals are the missing link in Australia’s bird flu response. Three experts explain

Niraj Meisuria, University of Sydney; Michael Ward, University of Sydney, and Thomas Newsome, University of Sydney

Animals that feed on infected carcasses could be accelerating the spread of the H5N1 strain.

September 29, 2024

‘Vegetarian’ possums eat meat when the weather’s cold

Patrick Finnerty, University of Sydney and Thomas Newsome, University of Sydney

In Australia, people tend to think carnivores lead the clean-up crew after an animal dies. But brushtail possums – thought to be plant-eaters – also eat carcasses.

Carcasses can feed a range of native animals, including goannas, wedge-tailed eagles and dingoes. AAP Image/Lukas Coch

January 15, 2020

Bushfires left millions of animals dead. We should use them, not just bury them

Emma Spencer, University of Sydney; Chris Dickman, University of Sydney; Philip Barton, Australian National University, and Thomas Newsome, University of Sydney

There’s logic in burying carcasses as they can harbour nasty diseases, but they also help landscapes recover from fire.

To understand the effects of a big die-off, researchers set up experiments with wild boar carcasses. Brandon Barton, Mississippi State University

January 10, 2020

Rotting feral pig carcasses teach scientists what happens when tons of animals die all at once, as in Australia’s bushfires

Brandon Barton, Mississippi State University and Abby Jones, Mississippi State University

Death is a natural part of ecosystems. But it’s unusual for a large number of animals to all die at once. Researchers are investigating how a mass mortality event affects what’s left afterwards.

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