The population of greater bilbies in protected areas throughout Australia has more than doubled in the past year, according to the results of a national census.
Key points:
- The federal government has committed $5 million in conservation efforts to protect the native greater bilby
- Bilby numbers have more than doubled according to a spotlight census by the Australian Wildlife Conservancy
- Bilby numbers have remained unchanged in South Australia but baby bilbies were noticed in this year’s survey
The positive news comes as the federal government announced a multi-million-dollar plan to address threats facing the endangered species.
The annual bilby census was undertaken over the past 12 months by the Australian Wildlife Conservancy in protected areas across the country, including at Yookamurra Wildlife Sanctuary in South Australia.
In welcome news, the total number of bilbies observed across six protected areas rose to 3,315 in the past year, up from 1,480 observed in the previous year.
Australian Wildlife Conservancy ecologist Aly Ross said the boost in population numbers could be attributed to favourable weather conditions and conservation efforts.
“The drought in 2018 and 2019 really knocked a lot of our populations around,” Dr Ross said.
“But now we’ve had a bit of rain and there’s things growing and stuff to eat, so those bilbies are doing a lot better which is great to see.”
Last week, federal Environment and Water Minister Tanya Plibersek announced $5 million worth of programs to protect the greater bilby, including $1.6 million to manage threats to bilbies in Central Australia, including fire and feral predators.
The new recovery plan for the greater bilby has been prepared in collaboration with Indigenous organisations, conservation groups, zoos and wildlife organisations.
“With its pink ears, soft grey coat, and little bouncy feet, the greater bilby is an iconic Australian animal,” Ms Plibersek said.
“We want to make sure it can be a beloved Easter icon for generations. That means tackling threats like rabbits, an invasive animal whose eating and digging threatens over 300 native species.”
Yookamurra Wildlife numbers steady
Bilby numbers remained unchanged in the Yookamurra Wildlife Sanctuary’s bilby census for 2023 when compared to the 2022 results, with 80 bilbies observed.
However, Dr Ross said there were positive results from the survey, with baby bilbies observed during trapping efforts.
“Bilbies are really hard to trap … If I put out 100 cage traps, I’ll catch 90 bettongs, but I might catch one bilby if I’m really lucky,” she said.
She said one bilby was caught during this year’s observations at the park, which had two babies in its pouch.
“When we looked in her pouch she had these two twins in there … so [we were] very lucky indeed.”
Bilbies have a short gestation period of just 13 days.
“They had no fur, they were the size of two jellybeans put together, and when you trap animals you have to be really careful you’re not making noise because you don’t want to stress anyone out,” she said.
“It’s really important the baby makes it’s way out of the pouch by itself, you can’t help it along or anything if you see it happening.
“It’s part of the structure of the baby that gets made.”
Decline of greater bilby
The introduction of feral animals, in addition to the loss of cultural heritage and disruption of ecosystems, has led to a decline in greater bilby numbers.
“Bilbies are an ecosystem engineer, so that means the function they play in the environment changes the environment they’re in,” Dr Ross said.
“So, when we lose species like the bilby that actually changes the habitat; it changes the kind of environmental structure, so it makes it harder for other species to live in there as well.”
Bilbies alter the landscape when digging pits to find food. Their digging helps water to infiltrate the soil profile, collect leaf litter and collect seeds.
