Scientists reintroduce Australian mammals to safe fenced-in zones

August 12, 2023 11:39 PM

Scientists successfully reintroduce locally-extinct Australian mammals to safe fenced-in zones. Species which once roamed freely (including bilbies, shark bay bandicoots and golden bandicoots) now thrive in a fenced-in safe haven (free from feral cats and feral foxes) created in Sturt National Park, part of one of the world's biggest mammal reintroduction projects.
posted by chariot pulled by cassowaries (4 comments total)

There is a similar sort of experiment called Zealandia in Wellington, NZ where they’ve put up a rodent fence and have started to rehabilitate the prehuman flora and fauna.
posted by jmauro at 4:57 AM on August 13, 2023 [3 favorites]

I wish more of the pictures had captions; I’d like to know what some of the other animals are.

Also, Australian ecologists continue with the strong hat game.
posted by GenjiandProust at 5:23 AM on August 13, 2023

Speaking of Aussie ecologists with strong hat game. I remember being so disappointed when the Earth Sanctuaries Limited venture folded so it's fantastic to see these modern efforts seemingly on a path to success.
posted by neonamber at 8:57 AM on August 13, 2023

Great to see this happening, there's one in Dunedin NZ, Orokaunui, 307Hectares. NZ has no native mammals (except two bat species), and lot of flightless birds, and ground-dwelling birds.

All mammals destroy our bird habitat, and the fences stop the lot; ~seven deer species, cats, dogs, .au possums, rats, mice, hedgehogs, pigs, goats.
posted by unearthed at 10:58 AM on August 13, 2023 [2 favorites]