ENDANGERED EASTERN QUOLLS BACK AT BOODEREE

Booderee National Park is once again home to eastern quolls with 19 of the species released into a new purpose-built wildlife enclosure.

Eastern quolls (Dasyurus vinerrinu) are an endangered marsupial that were once common along southeastern Australia but have been extinct in the wild on mainland Australia since the 1960s.

The new 80-hectare sanctuary at the park’s Botanic Gardens will have a 1.8-metre-high fence with a curved umbrella top to help protect eastern quolls from predators like foxes. The Australian Government has invested $600,000 in the construction of the fence.

The enclosure uses innovative methods, tools and technology to better protect priority threatened species. Custom-designed gates will also enable long-necked turtles to move freely.

The project is a collaboration between the Australian Government through Parks Australia, Wreck Bay Aboriginal Community Council, the National Parks Conservation Trust (with funding support from the Foundation for Australia’s Most Endangered Species Ltd, Shoalhaven City Council, a private donor and WWF Australia), Bremick, Australian National University, Taronga Conservation Society Australia, the Devil@Cradle and Trowunna Wildlife Sanctuaries, and Aussie Ark’s Barrington Wildlife Sanctuary.

Quotes attributable to the Minister for Environment and Water Tanya Plibersek:

“This new wildlife enclosure at Booderee will play a critical role in protecting the park’s eastern quoll population, by keeping these vulnerable, ground-dwelling marsupials out of harm’s way.

“Captive breeding and reintroduction programs such as this one at Booderee are vital in boosting vulnerable native animal populations.

“This project shows us just how important collaboration and partnerships are in protecting threatened species.”