- Endangered wallaby and joey bring hope to species in wake of devastating bushfires
- Lush green flora and pools of water dot the landscape
- Aussie Ark remain committed to doubling population, creating a safe haven for endangered species
Australia’s 2019 – 2020 bushfire season was devastating. Thousands of hectaresof Australian land was left blackened, flattened and lifeless. Entireecosystems were engulfed and more than one billion animals were incinerated.The true extent of these raging fires may never be fully known.
The endangered brush-tailed rock-wallaby was one species deeply affected bythe fires. An estimated 80% of their habitat burned. The species, which wasalready at risk, suffered insurmountable damage to population numbers. AussieArk has been and remains committed to the recovery of wildlife in the wake ofsuch devastating times.
Aussie Ark President Tim Faulkner says “We were working with this species manyyears before the recent bushfires. Why? Because there numbers were and arerapidly decreasing”
Mr Faulkner continues “The bushfires have sped up their decline, and it isfrightening”
Emergency food drops have been a lifeline for displaced, starving wildlife andwhilst our world has gone into lockdown, Aussie Ark have continued to supportwildlife while rebuilding.
Recent food drops have shown encouraging signs. Lush green has become thecolour of the landscape, and once dusty pools now hold water. Aussie Ark staffwere delighted to have spotted a female brush-tailed rock wallaby with a youngjoey on their most recent food drop, a true sign of hope.
Tim Faulkner says of the sighting of the joey “What a sight it was. A mum andher young is the best sign of the species quite literally bouncing back.”
Aussie Ark also worked with National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) and theNSW Saving our Species program to help deliver short-term supplementary foodto rock-wallabies suffering from severe drought on nearby CurracabundiNational Park.
Senior Saving our Species Project Officer Katherine Howard said “Our initialassessment with Aussie Ark in January showed that local wallabies had beenleft stranded with limited food and water.”
“Follow up camera monitoring by NPWS staff revealed at least 26 brush-tailedrock-wallabies accessing the food provided, as well as other native animalslike red-necked wallabies, wombats and brush-tailed possums – so these fooddrops have really helped to sustain our wildlife.”
With funding and support from the NSW Government’s Saving our Species program,Aussie Ark also established a robust insurance and captive breeding programfor the brush-tailed rock wallaby in 2018.
Following the 2019-20 bushfires, Aussie Ark has committed to doubling theircaptive population of brush-tailed rock wallabies in an effort to secure thefuture of this threatened species in the wild.
You can help the organisation which not only work with the brush-tailed rockwallaby but seven other endangered or threatened wildlife species by donatinghere www.aussieark.org.au
About Aussie Ark
As a not for profit organisation, Aussie Ark raises the necessary funds tocontinue its ambitious vision. Investment allows for the construction ofcaptive facilities and predator proof fencing on semi-wild parcels of land.Aussie Ark is a registered environmental organisation and charitableinstitution under the Australian Charity and Not-for-Profit Commission. AussieArk has deductible gift recipient status (DGR status) and is registered forGST purposes. More information at www.aussieark.org.au
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