Australia’s bilbies and bettongs bounce back in predator-free areas

Conservationists are reintroducing threatened mammals to their erstwhile ranges with fences to support retired cats and foxes

Environment 29 December 2021

By Alice Klein

A greater bilby scavenging astatine night

cbstockfoto / Alamy Stock Photo

Australia has the worst mammal extinction complaint successful the world, having mislaid 34 mammal taxon successful the past 200 years. To forestall different threatened mammals from disappearing, the Australian Wildlife Conservancy is returning them to their erstwhile ranges. Jennifer Anson, who is coordinating the project, tells New Scientist it has been a large success.

Alice Klein: Why does Australia person specified an abysmal mammal extinction record?

Jennifer Anson: The superior operator is predation by feral cats and foxes that were introduced by Europeans 200 …