27 Sept 2021

IN PHOTOS: BETTONGS HOME AT LAST ON YORKE PENINSULA

On 17 August, 40 brush-tailed bettongs from Wedge Island, South Australia, were translocated to Yorke Peninsula and released at Dhilba Guuranda-Innes National Park.

These pioneering bettongs have been missing from the peninsula for the last 100 years, and now that they’re back, they have a big role to play to restore the landscape to its former glory.

It’s an incredible milestone for the Marna Banggara project.

This project aims to turn the tide on Australia’s nationwide extinction crisis and restore the spectacular Yorke Peninsula landscape by reintroducing locally extinct species across 150,000 hectares.

Take a look at some of the stunning images from the release below.

Wedge Island

Signage on Wedge Island, South Australia
Signage on Wedge Island, South Australia © WWF-Australia / Ninti Media

The team flies to Wedge Island, South Australia, where they sourced 40 pioneering brush-tailed bettongs from a thriving population to be translocated to Yorke Peninsula.

Marna Banggara team on Wedge Island setting traps for brush-tailed bettongs
Marna Banggara team on Wedge Island setting traps for brush-tailed bettongs © WWF-Australia / Ninti Media

The team prepares traps for the brush-tailed bettongs.

image

Chloe Frick (PhD Student, University of Adelaide) sets a trap. These traps contain baits made of peanut butter, oats and honey to lure bettongs.

Brush-tailed bettong gets a health check and radio collar attached on Wedge Island
Brush-tailed bettong gets a health check and radio collar attached on Wedge Island © WWF-Australia / Ninti Media

It’s a long night for the team as they perform health checks and attach radio collars on the brush-tailed bettongs that’ll be translocated to Yorke Peninsula.

Translocation

Charter plane in flight for the Marna Banggara project
Charter plane in flight for the Marna Banggara project © WWF-Australia / Juansimage.com

Incoming! Precious cargo on this flight.

Dr Liberty Olds, Conservation Manager, Zoos SA unloading cargo from charter plane
Dr Liberty Olds, Conservation Manager, Zoos SA unloading cargo from charter plane © WWF-Australia / Juansimage.com

The charter plane safely lands at Marion Bay in Yorke Peninsula.

Dr Liberty Olds, Conservation Manager, Zoos SA unloading bettong carriers from charter plane
Dr Liberty Olds, Conservation Manager, Zoos SA unloading bettong carriers from charter plane © WWF-Australia / Juansimage.com

Dr Liberty Olds (Conservation Manager, Zoos SA) and the team unload their gear and precious cargo off the aircraft.

Yorke Peninsula

Zoos SA team performing health check on brush-tailed bettongs
Zoos SA team performing health check on brush-tailed bettongs © WWF-Australia / Juansimage.com

The veterinary team from Zoos SA does a final health check of the brush-tailed bettongs.

Narungga Elder Quenten Agius performs a traditional smoking ceremony for the return of the brush-tailed bettongs
Narungga Elder Quenten Agius performs a traditional smoking ceremony for the return of the brush-tailed bettongs © WWF-Australia / Juansimage.com

Narungga Elder Quenten Agius performs a traditional smoking ceremony to welcome the brush-tailed bettongs back to Guurunda Country.

Narungga Elder Quenten Agius welcomes brush-tailed bettongs back to Guurunda Country= Yorke Peninsula
© WWF-Australia / Juansimage.com

Brush-tailed bettongs have been absent from Yorke Peninsula for more than a century.

Marna Banggara team Dhilba Guuranda-Innes National Park for the bettong release
Marna Banggara team Dhilba Guuranda-Innes National Park for the bettong release © WWF-Australia / Juansimage.com

The team heads towards one of two release sites in Dhilba Guuranda-Innes National Park on southern Yorke Peninsula.

Brush-tailed bettong jumping out of bag in Dhilba Guuranda-Innes National Park, Yorke Peninsula
Brush-tailed bettong jumping out of bag in Dhilba Guuranda-Innes National Park, Yorke Peninsula © WWF-Australia / Juansimage.com

One of the 40 brush-tailed bettongs is released.

Brush-tailed bettong released in Dhilba Guuranda-Innes National Park, Yorke Peninsula
Brush-tailed bettong released in Dhilba Guuranda-Innes National Park, Yorke Peninsula © WWF-Australia / Juansimage.com

Home at last!

Camera trap image of brush-tailed bettong on Dhilba Guuranda-Innes National Park on Yorke Peninsula
Camera trap image of brush-tailed bettong on Dhilba Guuranda-Innes National Park on Yorke Peninsula © WWF-Australia

This project is jointly funded through the Northern and Yorke Landscape Board, the Australian Government’s National Landcare Program, the South Australian Department for Environment and Water, WWF-Australia and Foundation for National Parks & Wildlife.

Other partners actively involved in developing and delivering the project include Regional Development Australia, South Australian Tourism Commission, Zoos SA, FAUNA Research Alliance, BirdLife Australia, Nature Conservation Society of SA, Narungga Nation Aboriginal Corporation, Primary Producers SA, Primary Industries and Regions SA, Conservation Volunteers Australia, Legatus Group, Yorke Peninsula Council, Yorke Peninsula Tourism and Scientific Expedition Group.