More than just a zoo; Dubbo's Western Plains conservation work helps endangered animals return to the wild

Australia's iconic Greater Bilby is bouncing and digging around Australian Wildlife Conservancy's Newhaven Wildlife Sanctuary near Alice Springs thanks to a national collaboration with Taronga Conservation Society Australia which has seen an important reintroduction of the species to a 9,450- hectare feral predator-free area at the sanctuary.

Thirty-two founders (18 males and 14 females) were specially selected from Taronga Western Plains Zoo in Dubbo this week, where a breeding program is under way to support rewilding projects like the one at Newhaven.

The individuals were carefully placed into travel carriers before being transported by charter flight to Newhaven, which is about 300 kilometres north-west of Alice Springs.

On arrival at Newhaven, the small jetsetters were subject to health checks and some of them were fitted with tail-mounted VHF transmitters which will enable AWC ecologists to track their movements as they settle into their new home. They were then released into the sanctuary's 9,450-hectare feral-predator free area - one of Australia's largest fenced safe havens.

Although once widespread across Central Australia, their numbers have drastically declined, due to the threats posed by feral predators such as feral cats and foxes, and destructive fire regimes in recent decades.

Sending the Greater Bilbies off to Newhaven was a celebratory moment for the team at Taronga Conservation Society Australia, who were excited to help establish an additional population of the species and increase the threatened species' national numbers.

Taronga Conservation Society Australia chief executive officer Cam Kerr said: "We are absolutely thrilled to release over thirty Greater Bilbies from our conservation powerhouse, the Taronga Sanctuary at Taronga Western Plains Zoo in Dubbo, to AWC's Newhaven Wildlife Sanctuary in the Northern Territory.

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"This is Taronga's second release of this incredible Australian marsupial back to the wild and we are so proud of the collaborative conservation effort to get Greater Bilbies back onto the country where they were once found."

Kirsten Skinner, AWC Wildlife Ecologist, welcomed the bilbies back to Central Australia, saying their return will help secure the future of the threatened species.

"The Greater Bilby is the fourth mammal species reintroduced to Newhaven since 2017 and marks a significant milestone for AWC," explained Kirsten.

"These small creatures have a significant impact on the Australian landscape with a single individual capable of turning over 20 tonnes of topsoil per year.

"Their digging improves germination conditions for plants and helps maintain healthy soil dynamics. Signs of the species' return to Newhaven were evident in the days following their release with burrows and diggings popping up all over the feral predator-free fenced area.

"They play a critical role in the function of desert ecosystems and they're already out there working hard."

The endangered Goldilocks Bird has also been released for the first time in NSW thanks to a partnership with Taronga Conservation Society Australia.

The population of one of Australia's most critically endangered bird species has been boosted with the first ever release in NSW of 10 Plains-wanderers.

The birds, which have been released onto private properties in the Western Riverina near Hay, were hatched at Taronga Western Plains Zoo, Taronga Zoo and Werribee Open Range Zoo.

The private landholders are part of the Paddocks for Plains-wanderers' program, where landholders receive support to manage their ground cover for livestock production and Plains-wanderer conservation.

Affectionately dubbed the Goldilocks bird, they've been reintroduced into managed habitat that suits their specific requirements that is not too open and not too dense.

Mr Kerr said Plains-wanderers are a unique Australian bird, whose genetic history dates back millions of years, which is why breeding and releasing these birds back into the wild is so important.

"This first NSW release is a huge milestone in our conservation efforts for this species, and it is so rewarding seeing these little birds returned to their wild habitat, where we hope they will thrive," he said.

Further releases are expected in 2022, with 37 birds in the conservation breeding program at Taronga Western Plains Zoo and eight birds at Taronga Zoo Sydney.

NSW Environment Minister James Griffin said it was a monumental step towards reversing the plight of the small, ground-dwelling species.

"It's thought there are now less than 1,000 of these birds in the wild due to threats including grassland habitat loss, severe drought and fox attacks," Mr Griffin said.

"But now, we're working in partnership with private landholders to restore their habitat and protect it so Plains-wanderers can thrive.

"These birds demonstrate the importance of native grasslands and ecosystems, and by protecting them, we're helping to conserve native grassland habitat, which is critical for a range of other species.

"This is a win-win for farmers and the environment, and a true conservation-led partnership to save one of our endangered species."

The NSW program is led by the NSW government's Saving our Species program, which is backed by a $175 million commitment over 10 years. It's supported by the Biodiversity Conservation Trust, Local Land Services and Taronga Conservation Society Australia.

So far, the program has protected 13,000-plus hectares of Plains-wanderer habitat across NSW's Riverina Plains.

"This partnership with private landholders is a fantastic example of conservation at its finest. Through this program, we're helping landholders protect biodiversity and restore a healthy ecosystem," Mr Griffin said.