New hope for the Eastern barred bandicoot Perameles gunnii after 27 years of recovery effort

Abstract

The Eastern barred bandicoot Perameles gunnii (mainland unnamed subspecies) is classified as ‘extinct in the wild’ and has been the focus of a 27 year captive-breeding and recovery programme. To date, the programme has successfully prevented the complete loss of this species, through the use of captive insurance populations and predator-barrier fences, but has not yet delivered recovery in the wild. The key threats to this bandicoot are habitat loss and introduced predators; both difficult to mitigate. An active multi-agency Recovery Team operates to conserve the Eastern barred bandicoot, manage recovery actions, and promote awareness and advocacy. The captive-breeding programme has produced 920 offspring, 551 of which have been released to free-ranging sites. Despite a slight but steady decline in genetic diversity over the duration of the programme, there does not appear to have been a significant loss of genetic fitness in the population, based on breeding rates, litter size and longevity. Animals have been released at a total of nine sites, with Eastern barred bandicoots currently present and breeding at four fox-free locations. An ambitious plan is under way to more than double the current population to over 2500 individuals across several large self-sustaining populations. This plan includes assisted colonization to fox-free islands outside the natural range of the bandicoot and trialling the use of guardian dogs to protect unfenced, free-ranging populations. Implementation of this Recovery Plan over the next 4 years will involve an array of conservation partners, and aims to down list the conservation status of the species and secure its future in the wild.