The first wild-born pouch young for the population of captive bred Brush-tailed Rock Wallabies reintroduced into the Grampians National Park in 2008 was discovered in the April trapping work. The 10 day old newborn brings hope for a critically endangered species facing extinction in Victoria.
Department of Sustainability and Environment Biodiversity Officer Emily Beddgood said the research team was ecstatic to find the pouch young during routine trapping.
“It’s very exciting. The birth shows that the Brush-tailed Rock Wallabies are adapting to their new habitat and it is the first sign we have had that they are on the way to becoming a second self sustaining population of animals in Victoria,” she said. There is an existing population of about 20 animals in remote East Gippsland.
Ms Bedggood said animals were regularly monitored using radio collars, remote surveillance cameras and were trapped for health checks every six months. “We started trapping animals this week so we could undertake routine health checks to monitor their weight and check for pouch young. Our new pouch young was found in the very last female we checked,” she said.
Two researchers from Adelaide Zoo, including a veterinarian conducting health checks, were part of the team that made their joyous discovery yesterday. Ms Bedggood said a male wallaby released last October into the same area as the new mother has possibly made the difference.
“We were beginning to wonder why the females were taking so long to breed and it may have been as simple as they required the company of an additional male,” she said.
The Brush-tailed Rock-wallaby was once found across the rocky gorges in south-eastern Australia, Its decline is largely due to historical hunting for the fur trade, habitat clearing and predation from the red fox.
The area within the Grampians National Park where the animals were initially released was chosen due to its excellent conditions, including rocky ledges, cliffs and plentiful food essential to the survival of the species.
The Brush-tailed Rock-wallaby recovery program involves the Department of Sustainability and Environment, Parks Victoria, Adelaide Zoo, Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve (ACT) and other partner organisations. It has also been significantly supported by sponsor donations.
In ”The Shadow” the newsletter of the BRTW recovery group, there’s also an article on the research on the movements of some of our animals. Jenny Proctor is following up on the observations made by Canadian exchange ranger Sean Frey for her Honours project.