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Extinct Bandicoot Returns to Australia After 30 Years
24 Apr
Summary
- Eastern barred bandicoot extinct in the wild by 1991.
- Gene-mixing technique crossbred Tasmanian and mainland populations.
- Amazon's fund donated AU$2.5 million for conservation efforts.
The eastern barred bandicoot, a marsupial declared extinct in the wild by 1991, has been reintroduced to Australia after a significant breeding program. Previously, dwindling numbers and inbreeding hindered reintroduction attempts. A groundbreaking gene-mixing technique has now successfully crossbred eastern barred bandicoots from Tasmania with those on the mainland, populations isolated for over 10,000 years.
Amazon's Right Now Climate Fund has provided AU$2.5 million to aid this conservation milestone and other initiatives in Australia. These efforts support breeding programs, wildlife sanctuaries, and animal movements. The goal is to establish a robust population of at least 500 bandicoots across five diverse locations, enhancing their resilience against natural disasters like floods and droughts through their burrowing behaviour.
This project, led by the Odonata Foundation, Cesar Australia, and the Eastern Barred Bandicoot Recovery Team, also aims to help other endangered species like the eastern quoll and southern brush-tailed rock-wallaby. Scientists report the new bandicoot population exhibits greater genetic health and a higher chance of survival.
