A new batch of 30 young phascogales, the feisty carnivorous marsupial on the brink of extinction, have been released into the Gawler Ranges ahead of breeding season.
It is hoped red-tailed phascogales will further strengthen the population by pairing up over the next few months.
More than 100 phascogales have been reintroduced to the Gawler Ranges in the past year and more releases are planned over the next 12 months.
In a positive sign that the small, tree-living marsupial is bouncing back, 30 wild-born young were recorded for the first time last year,
Red-tailed phascogales were only found in the wild in the southwest woodlands of Western Australia and had not been recorded in SA's wild for many years.
The program is a partnership between the Department for Environment and Water (DEW) and the Foundation for Australia's Most Endangered Species (FAME).
Securing the future of the red-tailed phascogale is one of 11 projects DEW and FAME are undertaking over three years to recover threatened and iconic species, reverse extinctions and reduce predators threatening native animals and plants.
Since 2013, the program has established three safer havens to enable extinct mammal reintroductions within the Gawler, central and northern Flinders Ranges. The safer havens are unfenced areas, each about 500km2, where feral animals are substantially reduced to allow reintroduced native animals to thrive.
The multi-faceted project involves scientific research, captive breeding programs at Cleland Wildlife Park and Alice Springs Desert Park, large-scale feral predator control and radio tracking of the reintroduced phascogales.
As put by Susan Close
The reintroduction of red-tailed phascogales to the Gawler Ranges is great success story in terms of the work we are doing to protect endangered species.
Climate change threatens our unique and valuable biodiversity and it is vital that we continue to build resilience into our landscapes to help native animals and plants adapt and thrive.
As put by Tali Moyle, NPWS Reintroduction Ecologist
It is heartening to see red-tailed phascogales in the Gawler Ranges, while the birth of the marsupials into the wild for the first time is promising for their future prospects.
While cat numbers are low, it is important we keep on top of them and remove them from the safer haven while we continue to build the red-tailed phascogale population.
As put by Tracy McNamara, FAME Chief Executive
This success is no accident – it's the result of bold foresight, genuine partnership, and persistence through trial and error.
Together with DEW, we've created a safer haven that is now delivering real, measurable impact for a species once written off in South Australia. This is what long-term commitment to biodiversity recovery looks like.
These phascogales have taught us more than we anticipated, not just about survival and habitat, but about the power of resilience when the right conditions are created.
Beyond the population numbers, this project is showing how targeted, collaborative action can transform what's possible for species, ecosystems and the people working to protect them.
