A new review has documented the remarkable journey of Australia's most critically endangered marsupial, the Gilbert's potoroo, from its rediscovery to ongoing recovery efforts.
The research, which was led by the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA) in partnership with university researchers and The Gilbert's Potoroo Action Group, was published in Pacific Conservation Biology.
It details 30 years of conservation work since the species was rediscovered at Two Peoples Bay Nature Reserve near Albany in 1994 by then PhD student and current adjunct senior research fellow from The University of Western Australia, Dr Elizabeth Sinclair, after being presumed extinct for over a century.
Lead author Dr Tony Friend from DBCA said the paper represented a crucial milestone in our understanding of this extremely rare marsupial.
"When we surveyed the rediscovered population, we found that only about 40 individuals remained in a small area of heathland on Mount Gardner," Dr Friend said.
The research revealed that the species depends almost exclusively on underground fungi for food, making habitat conservation critical for its survival.
Following its rediscovery, DBCA scientists established two "insurance populations" between 2005 and 2014 – one on Bald Island off Cheynes Beach in the Great Southern region and a second in a mainland enclosure within nearby Waychinicup National Park.
These insurance populations proved vital when a devastating bushfire swept through Two Peoples Bay Nature Reserve in November 2015, effectively wiping out the original population. Scientists are now working to restore this population using animals from the insurance colonies.
Dr Sinclair, a co-author of the study, stressed the importance of genetic considerations in conservation efforts.
"Understanding the genetic makeup of the remaining Gilbert's potoroo populations is crucial for maintaining their long-term viability," she said.
The research team found successful conservation of the species required a combination of effective fire management, feral predator control, climate change adaptation strategies and community advocacy.
"The regenerating habitat at Two Peoples Bay remains a valuable resource for future recovery efforts," Dr Friend said.
This study is part of a special issue in Pacific Conservation Biology focused on Two Peoples Bay Nature Reserve, one of WA's most significant conservation areas, created in 1961 to protect the noisy scrub-bird, which has since been instrumental in protecting several threatened species including Gilbert's potoroo.
