A group of 33 wallabies from Queensland are hopping into their new home in NSW to help establish a new population.
Thanks to the success of the Palaszczuk Government’s bridled nailtail wallaby recovery program, Queensland is working with the NSW Government to translocate the wallabies to establish more populations across the country.
Minister for Environment Leeanne Enoch said the species was listed as “presumed extinct” in NSW, and this translocation was helping to secure the future of this endangered species.
“These wallabies were once thought to be extinct, until they were rediscovered in 1973 near Rockhampton,” Ms Enoch said.
“Our Government has been working to protect the current population of these wallabies and work over the years has helped to increase the population by 50% in Taunton ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ Park.
“The recovery program has been so successful that we are now at a point where we can assist other Governments, like NSW, with their conservation efforts.”
This translocation project has been a partnership between the Queensland and NSW Governments, and the Australian Wildlife Conservancy, to establish a new population in the Pilliga ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ Park.
Thirty-three bridled nailtail wallabies from the population in Taunton ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ Park were captured, checked by a vet, and flown to NSW where they were released into a predator-free enclosure on Pilliga ³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾ Park last week.
They will be joined in the enclosure by captive bred bridled nailtail wallabies from a separate NSW population managed by Australian Wildlife Conservancy.
Minister Enoch said if successful, this translocation program will further reduce the risk of extinction of Australia’s bridled nailtail wallabies.
Australian Wildlife Conservancy (AWC) Chief Executive Tim Allard said Australia had an appalling record for mammal extinctions, with 31 mammals going extinct since European settlement, and a further 56 mammal species facing the same fate.
“Through the work of AWC, in partnership with the State Governments of Queensland and New South Wales, the future for the bridled nailtail wallaby looks secure,” Mr Allard said.
“This project is a clear example, that radical action is necessary to prevent the tide of extinctions.
“AWC has a population at our Scotia Wildlife Sanctuary in western NSW, and this population, along with more from Queensland, will ensure the genetic diversity, and help secure the future of this species.”
“We are proud to be working with the Queensland and New South Wales Governments to ensure the survival of the bridled nailtail wallaby,” Mr Allard said.
The Palaszczuk Government has also made other significant changes to help protect threatened species in this state, including increasing protected areas by more than a million hectares and introducing vegetation management laws to end broadscale land clearing.
