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Desert Comes Alive: Lost Mammals Return to Australia
3 Nov
Summary
- Six native mammal species reintroduced to Sturt National Park.
- Project extends predator-free enclosures by 4,000 hectares.
- Reintroductions aim to restore ecological balance in desert ecosystems.
In north-western New South Wales, a remarkable wildlife recovery effort is underway. The Wild Deserts project, initiated in 2016, has successfully reintroduced six native mammal species to Sturt National Park, an area where they had been absent for over a century. Ecologists Rebecca West and Reece Pedler are leading this initiative from Fort Grey, transforming the remote Corner Country into a hub for conservation.
The project's primary goal was to re-establish native mammals crucial to Australia's desert ecosystems, which had disappeared due to European settlement, introduced predators like feral cats and foxes, and grazing animals. UNSW Sydney, the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, and Ecological Horizons are key partners in this endeavor.
By September 2026, the project had established the largest rabbit-free area of its kind, covering approximately 4,000 hectares within two large predator-proof enclosures. These safe zones allowed for the successful reintroduction of species such as greater bilbies, golden bandicoots, and western quolls starting in 2020.
Conservation efforts are now extending beyond protected fences into a 100-square-kilometer Wild Training Zone. This area manages lower levels of feral cat populations, enabling reintroduced animals to gradually adapt to living alongside predators. The NSW Government and UNSW announced a 10-year partnership extension in June 2026, focusing on improved predator management and landscape-scale reintroductions.
