March 3rd is World Wildlife Day, an international day to celebrate and raise awareness of the world's wild animals and plants.
There's much work to be done to combat the decline in native species due to human impacts, but for now let's celebrate some conservation success stories of our unique flora and fauna from around Australia.
Critically endangered Brush-tail Bettongs are thriving on the Yorke Peninsula
Photo by Marna Banggara
Brush-tail Bettongs were once found across 60% of the Australian mainland. As part of the Marna Banggara conservation project, 40 bettongs (also known as woylies) were re-located from Wedge Island in Western Australia, to the Yorke Peninsula where they are thriving. Marna Banggara is working to return locally-extinct species and restore natural processes to the area. It is the first project of its kind in Australia to apply rewinding techniques into a working landscape, rather than a closed reserve. Learn more about the project here >
The Humpback Whale no longer listed as endangered
Photo by Pete Lynch, as published on ABC News
Humpbacks were nearly hunted to extinction in the 1900s, however a ban on commercial whaling has since allowed the humpback whale to recover. Learn more here >
Native forrest logging banned in Western Australia from 2024
Photo by Mark Boskell as published on The Guardian
This will preserve at least 400,000 hectares of Karri, Jarrah and Wandoo forests, which are endemic to Western Australia. Learn more here >
Eastern Barred Bandicoot is making a come back in Victoria!
Photo by Sam Rye / Conservation Volunteers Australia as published on Australian Geographic
Once common across much of Western Victoria, populations declined after extensive land clearing and the introduction of feral cats and foxes during the 19th and early 20th centuries. Numbers dwindled to 150. Now, through conservation efforts the number sits at nearly 1500. Learn more here
Sniffer dogs are helping researchers find platypus burrows
Photo by Zoos Victoria as published on The Guardian
This allows scientists to collect data on platypus populations and learn more about these elusive monotremes. Learn more here >
Want to learn more about World Wildlife Day?
You can do that right here >
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