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| Saving the Woylie is Critical |
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The Woylie (or brush-tailed bettong) became famous as the "flagship for conservation" in the 1990s because it was Australia's first mammal to come off the threatened species list. Just 20 years earlier it was on the brink of extinction. But with fox control and translocations, the Woylie made a spectacular recovery. By 2001 there were over 40,000 Woylies living in the wild. The speed and size of the recovery proved that, given the chance, the Woylie is a great Aussie battler and as such became one of the world's leading examples of the successes that can be achieved in conservation.
Unexpectedly, in late 2005 routine monitoring revealed that populations were declining by up to 95 percent, every year. So far Woylie numbers have dropped by about 80 percent and less than 2000 individuals remain in the most important natural populations. The Woylie is now internationally listed as 'Critically Endangered' and has been returned to National and State threatened species lists.
Understanding the causes of the current declines is the best way to help the Woylie recover once again. Led by the Department of Environment and Conservation, experts around Australia and the world are helping to do this. Key supporting organisations in this effort include Murdoch University, Perth Zoo, Australian Wildlife Conservancy and South Australian Department of Environment and Heritage. While cats and foxes are known to be involved, there is evidence that the remaining Woylie populations are being made more vulnerable by a mystery disease. More funding is needed to solve this mystery and save the Woylie.
Dr Adrian Wayne
Chief Investigator, Woylie Conservation Research Project
Department of Environment and Conservation WA
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