Bushfires And Foxes Are Pushing The Parma Wallaby Closer To Extinction, And Sanctuaries Could Be The Answer To Saving Them
A species called the Parma wallaby, also known as the white-throated wallaby, lives in the Great Dividing Range in New South Wales and has been listed as a vulnerable species in Australia. Meanwhile, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) classifies it as near-threatened.
The marsupial is shy and elusive. It faces multiple threats that are causing its future to hang in the balance. An expert from the Australian National University (ANU) argues that more safe havens and collaboration between government and landowners are needed in order to ensure the survival of the Parma wallaby.
Predation is one of the primary concerns for the marsupial. The Black Summer bushfires also caused major damage to Parma wallaby populations and habitats, pushing the species closer to extinction. There have been efforts to reintroduce the Parma wallaby to certain areas, but the results were not positive.
“An attempt to reintroduce a population near Robertson in New South Wales was unsuccessful, with foxes killing more than 40 Parma wallabies within three months,” said Professor George Wilson from ANU.
“This is in contrast to fox-free New Zealand, where authorities are trying to eradicate Parma wallabies because there is an overabundance of them.”
“We know Parma wallabies are thriving in a predator-free enclosure at Mount Wilson. We need to create more privately owned safe havens and captive breeding programs like that one to secure these animals’ long-term survival.”
The New South Wales government’s Saving Our Species program describes conservation strategies for the Parma wallaby, but Professor Wilson thinks that the program overlooks the importance of safe havens for the animals.
Such sanctuaries would secure the population in the event of bushfires, manage disease and genetics, and protect the species from introduced predators and collisions with vehicles.
At Ngambaa Nature Reserve, the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service is constructing an enclosure, which will relocate some Parma wallabies from Mount Wilson. However, experts say that more facilities are needed.
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“Predator-proof fencing is costly to build and maintain. Government agencies should be working with private landholders to build them in a cost-effective manner and encourage greater collaboration between zoos, nature reserves, and commercial investors,” said Professor Wilson.
Many of the identified threats that Parma wallabies face actually stem from insufficient research and a lack of understanding about their habitats and food requirements.
In addition, Parma wallabies have been historically neglected when it comes to conservation, so that has contributed to their risk of extinction.
Furthermore, the state’s conservation plan does not incentivize private landowners to take measures to help Parma wallabies.
The Parma wallaby’s future depends on action and collaboration across government bodies, private landowners, and conservation organizations.
The details of the study were published in the journal Australian Zoologist.
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