Native marsupial populations on the rise in Sturt National Park
The founding population of Shark Bay bandicoots translocated from Arid Recovery last May is estimated to have doubled only six months after they were released. Photo: Tom Hunt.
“It was fantastic to catch new young bandicoots so soon after the translocation,” says Wild Deserts principal ecologist, Dr Rebecca West. “It’s a great indicator of the project’s success so far.” Photo: Tom Hunt.
An initial population of 19 crest-tailed mulgaras, translocated from wild populations in South Australia in August 2020, have now rocketed up to between 160 and 240 individuals. Photo: Tom Hunt.
The researchers estimate that up to 60 bilbies are now bouncing around their exclosures, including female bilbies bred at Wild Deserts who are now having pouch young of their own. Photo: Tom Hunt.
This bilby population has grown from an initial group of 10 greater bilbies reintroduced from Taronga Western Plains Zoo in September 2020, followed by another 30 bilbies in May 2021 from South Australian populations at Arid Recovery and Thistle Island. Photo: Tom Hunt.
The team compiled all this information from regular ecological monitoring surveys conducted throughout the year, which monitor how the animals have been faring. Photo: Tom Hunt.
Based on the success of these three species, the Wild Deserts team are now planning to translocate a fourth species, the golden bandicoot, in 2022. Photo: Tom Hunt.
This World Wildlife Day, we celebrate the three native mammal species – bilbies, crest-tailed mulgaras and Shark Bay bandicoots – now thriving in Sturt National Park since their recent reintroduction.
These mammals were translocated to the area throughout 2020 and 2021 as part of Wild Deserts, a UNSW Sydney-led conservation project aiming to revitalise the desert landscape by repopulating the park with small native mammals. The project is run in collaboration with Ecological Horizons, NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, and Taronga Conservation Society.
Project leader Professor Richard Kingsford says he’s excited about the survey results.
“It’s wonderful to see these animals back in their original home, prospering and restoring this desert ecosystem to some of its past magnificence,” he says.
“Every year’s results are exciting. We are looking to transform this environment out here by putting these animals back in and establishing food webs that were once here.”
Based on the success of these three species, the Wild Deserts team are now planning to translocate a fourth species, the golden bandicoot, in 2022.