Bandicoot breeding boosts island population

The world-first genetic rescue program for the Eastern barred bandicoot was led by Odonata Foundation, Cesar Australia and the Eastern Barred Bandicoot Recovery Team.

Phillip Island is one of the organisations forming the Eastern Barred Bandicoot Recovery Team along with Conservation Volunteers Australia, Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action, Parks Victoria, The University of Melbourne and Zoos Victoria.

Since 2004, conservationists have been carefully breeding the marsupials, growing the population to a community of over 2000 individuals in safe havens.

Odonata Foundation's work is based on breeding eastern barred bandicoot populations from mainland Australia with those from Tasmania - two genetically distinct populations which had been isolated from each other for over 10,000 years. By diversifying and strengthening their gene pool, and by selectively breeding females with larger males, Odonata and the Recovery Team has created a fitter, healthier population of animals with greater genetic diversity, more balanced sex ratios, and increased size.

The research was supported by Amazon's Right Now Climate Fund, which invested AU$2.5 million to help restore populations of endangered species, and the largest-ever reintroduction of eastern barred bandicoots in the wild in Australia.

"Thirty years ago these bandicoots were gone from mainland Australia. What makes their recovery incredible is the science behind it - a genetic rescue programme which is science-backed, scalable and transformative for conservation," said Michael Miller, spokesperson for Amazon's Right Now Climate Fund.

He said, "the same methodology could help save endangered animals all over the world".

Ecosystem engineers

Once widespread across southeastern Australia, Eastern barred bandicoots are powerful ecosystem engineers, each burrowing through up to three tonnes of soil a year which improves soil health, seed dispersal, water retention and nutrient cycling, strengthening landscapes against flood and drought.

By the late 1980s, just 60 remained, surviving among abandoned cars in a rubbish tip in Hamilton, Victoria.

These survivors were moved into captivity for breeding and by 1991, they were declared extinct in the wild.

"The most powerful part of this story is genetic rescue," said Dr Andrew Weeks, Director Cesar Australia and Science Advisor to Odonata.

"Through a world-first gene mixing approach, we've built a fit, feisty bandicoot population with far greater genetic health and a much better chance of survival than their inbred predecessors".

Previous attempts to release descendants of these animals into the wild failed to thrive due to genetic inbreeding, even with predators removed. With fewer to mate with, genetic faults known as 'undershot jaw' appeared among the population, making it harder to dig, or grasp and chew food.

Phillip Island is one of five locations where the bandicoots have been released and the populations will be monitored over the next three years through ongoing genetic testing to assess whether the population has stabilised.

"This milestone marks the culmination of many years of dedication and collaboration by the Recovery Team," explains Matt Singleton, Chief Operating Officer at the Odonata Foundation.

"We are also deeply grateful to the Eastern Maar and Bunurong Traditional Owners for their ongoing support in the recovery of this unique and highly significant species with which they have a deep connection, and for the role they have played in helping make this release possible".

Phillip Island Nature Parks' Senior Scientist Cr Duncan Sutherland said the National Recovery Program was "critical to ensuring the survival of this threatened species".

He said the community could support the Eastern barred bandicoots by reporting sightings on the Nature Parks bandicoot portal (research.penguins.org.au/sighting), creating bandicoot friendly gardens where the nocturnal marsupials can sleep safely during the day, ensuring responsible pet ownership and keeping cats contained 24/7.

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