Wombat lover tops class

Science student Lindsay Hogan has topped the class with perfect results at UQ but it hasn’t impressed her research subjects.

The southern hairy-nosed wombats that Ms Hogan studies every day at the Rockhampton Botanical Gardens and Zoo, still try to bite her legs when given the opportunity.

Ms Hogan, who will receive UQ’s 2005 Graduate of the Year Award and a 2004 University Medal tomorrow (Friday, July 22), has to wear metal shin pads to protect her legs from the playful wombats.

“I have to wear shin pads backwards to protect my calf muscles because the wombats like to sneak up behind me, bite my calves and not let go,” Ms Hogan said.

As UQ’s Graduate of the Year, Ms Hogan will receive a crystal trophy and $500 from the president of the UQ Alumni Association from 11am during graduation ceremonies at the UQ Centre, Union Road, St Lucia.

She earned a Bachelor of Applied Science with first class honours last year thanks to her grade point average of seven, the equivalent of high distinctions for every subject.

The 24-year-old Gatton student, originally from Canada, has started her PhD which could help save the endangered northern hairy-nosed wombat.

Her project is designed to develop better captive protocols for wombats so that northern hairy-nosed wombats breed in captivity.

Past attempts at introducing northern hairy-nosed wombats into captivity have failed because they refused to eat, were stressed by human contact and didn’t breed.

Ms Hogan is using a dozen southern hairy-nosed wombats as northern stunt doubles because they are close genetically and physically, to their cousins.

Less than 90 northern hairy-nosed wombats remain in the wild at Epping Forest National Park near Clermont in Central Queensland.

Ms Hogan’s study has indicated that wombats are less stressed in captivity if they have regular positive human contact such as patting, stroking and scratching of the rump as well as food rewards such as peanut butter and rolled oat balls.

She is measuring their levels of cortisol, a hormone produced under stress to confirm if they are less stressed from more human contact.

Her project will finish in three years when she hopes to work for an environmental group or zoo.

Media: Lindsay Hogan (0400 772 680) or Miguel Holland at UQ Communications (3365 2619)