How many eastern barred bandicoots are left

Zoos Victoria has partnered with several organisations to play a key role in the recovery of this species. Since , Zoos Victoria has bred more than bandicoots. Now there are three reintroduced populations protected by predator-exclusion fences on the mainland, and introduced populations on three fox-free islands Churchill, Phillip and French Islands.

While we ensure our captive population is released into fox-free sites, we are also conducting trials to see if trained Maremma dogs can protect the Eastern Barred Bandicoots from predators.

Zoos Victoria is fighting to save the mainland population of Eastern Barred Bandicoots from extinction. There are now bandicoot populations at four feral predator-free fenced reintroduction sites at Woodlands Historic Park, Hamilton Community Parklands, Mount Rothwell and Tiverton. A trial using trained maremma dogs to guard eastern barred bandicoots is underway at Skipton and Dunkeld, with 20 bandicoots watched over by two or three dogs at each site.

Sign up here. Bandicoots back from the brink as status downgraded to endangered. Please try again later. Zoos Victoria - Fighting extinction program has been fundamental to saving the Eastern Barred Bandicoot from extinction. Captive breeding has been carried out at the zoo with 36 breeding pods established to assist in captive breeding success.

The Eastern Barred Bandicoot is capable of giving birth to up to five joeys five times a year with an average of joeys each time. So if conditions are right the population can quickly expand.

A significant project at Werribee Open Range Zoo has been the completion of predator proof fencing which now provides opportunity for Ha of secure predator free habitat. Work has been undertaken to optimise habitat for the Eastern Barred Bandicoot, which includes ripping rabbit burrows, treating the enclosed area to remove foxes and feral cats and restoration of grassland habitat.

There is a 5 year strategy to remove rabbits, improve native grassland habitat and gradually reintroduce bandicoots as habitat improves. Thousands of rabbits were removed through the baiting program. Releases into the predator free areas commenced in late with releases of small numbers planned for 5 different predator free areas within the Zoo during and beyond. These Eastern Barred Bandicoots will not be as intensively managed by Zoo keepers but a regular trapping program will enable keepers to monitor their condition.

In Werribee Zoo completed construction on new roofing for their 36 breeding enclosures. These two animals are doing an important job advocating this elusive species to visitors and VIPs. The Werribee Open Range Zoo is also conducting pairing, mate choice preference trials involving about 20 Eastern Barred Bandicoots to maximise the reproductive success.

Results released in indicate that females are choosing mates, and those paired with their preferred males had a shorter time to pregnancy and more pregnancies than other females. A program to use Maremma dogs to protect Eastern Barred Bandicoots from foxes is being developed.

The use of guardian dogs could be a valuable tool to protect bandicoots from foxes and cats and has the potential to expand the number of release sites which is currently limited to sites that have predator proof fencing.

The Hamilton Community Parklands reserve contains a ha fenced off fox proof area. Population monitoring has been conducted at this site for many decades. Since a more intensive monitoring program has operated with monitoring three or four times per year.

In the population was around bandicoots which is higher than previously estimated but may have reached animals in The population at Hamilton Community Parklands reserve is known to fluctuate considerably with adequate rainfall being a major factor in breeding and holding capacity. The impact of foxes even one or two though the fence can have dramatic consequences on the population.

Despite checks of the predator proof fence 3 times per week foxes were detected breaching the fence in April The access points were identified and sealed off and three foxes removed by May. This was the first time foxes entered the area since Two harvests of 10 animals each were undertaken in to support a trail release at French Island and also support Zoos Victoria captive breeding program.

Other works in the broader Hamilton Community Parklands included rabbit warren destruction work funded by DEPI, destroying approximately 20 warrens through the Hamilton reserve, which have been subsequently replanted with grassland species by Conservation Volunteers.

Environmental weed management across site to remove gorse and pittosporum was undertaken as well as burning for fire protection and grassland management conducted in January Between and there were difficulties regarding predator control as foxes entered through protective fencing impacting on the population. During , Conservation Volunteers Australia undertook on-ground management of the reserve. With the help of dedicated volunteers, the Glenelg Hopkins CMA and the community the predator proof fence was upgraded and foxes removed.

These bandicoots are doing well in their new fox free environment. See the release at Hamilton Community Parklands. In November there were very pleasing results from the population monitoring with 20 bandicoots trapped, including 5 new animals that were offspring from the April releases.

In addition all females caught had pouched young which is a good sign of successful breeding. Mt Rothwell is a ha area of private land dedicated to conservation and is home to the Mount Rothwell Biodiversity Interpretation Centre.

Eastern Barred Bandicoots were first released at Mt Rothwell in Their numbers have steadily grown within the predator proof fence area. In the population was competing against an increasing rabbit population due to abundant grass cover but natural predation from native predators combined with a rabbit control programs has seen the Bandicoot population continue to rise from an estimated animals in to animals in The estimates are around Eastern Barred Bandicoots.

The Mt Rothwell team in conjunction with the City of Greater Geelong council Valuing Volcanic Plains program and the work for the dole team has tackled the rabbit problem and now has 80 ha of rabbit free habitat and ha currently fenced with very few rabbits remaining.

A new research project has been initiated this year, by Melbourne University at Mt Rothwell that will investigate the benefits of breeding a small number of Tasmanian Eastern Barred Bandicoots with mainland Eastern Barred bandicoots to increase genetic diversity. Mount Rothwell Biodiversity Interpretation Centre. The Mooramong unfenced population is extinct and no further releases into this unfenced site have occurred in recent years.

Mooramong participated in the captive programme in and held between 2 and 5 animals in a fenced, predator-free pen. Two female bandicoots were relocated from to Mooramong in as part of the captive insurance program.

In 3 female Eastern Barred Bandicoots were housed at this facility, these are animals that are no longer part of the captive breeding program. A 7 km long predator proof fence being constructed with help from Conservation Volunteers at Woodlands Historic Park. Conservation Volunteers working in partnership with Parks Victoria completed a 7 km predator proof fence in which now provides a secure area of about ha for Eastern Barred Bandicoots. During works focused on a rabbit, fox and feral cat eradication program, followed by on-going monitoring to ensure no foxes were present.

The first releases of Eastern Barred Bandicoots were planned for late spring Skip to content Skip to navigation. Conserving threatened species. Eastern Barred Bandicoot Perameles gunnii.

Species information The Eastern Barred Bandicoot is a small, yellowish-brown nocturnal marsupial. Threats Loss of their grassland habitat and predation by cats and foxes has led to the decline of this species. What's being done? Who's helping? April Bandicoot release.

March Endangered bandicoot numbers on the increase.