Chuditch on the move to South Australia

• State Government relocates 40 marsupials east as a conservation measure
• Second group of chuditch heading to Flinders Ranges
• The chuditch, also known as the western quoll, is Western Australia's largest endemic carnivore and at maturity is the size of a small domestic cat

Environment Minister Albert Jacob has given the green light to relocating more chuditch from Western Australia to South Australia's Flinders Ranges, where the species of marsupial disappeared more than 100 years ago.

Up to 40 chuditch sourced from Julimar Conservation Park, Fitzgerald River National Park, Dryandra Woodland and the Upper Warren region will be fitted with radio transmitters and moved to South Australia in May to boost the new population at the Flinders Ranges.

The chuditch, or western quoll, which is about the size of a small cat, is Western Australia's largest carnivorous marsupial. They used to be found across 70 per cent of Australia but have been reduced to the south-western area of Western Australia.

Mr Jacob said the Department of Parks and Wildlife provided 37 chuditch to the South Australian Government last year to assist with reintroduction of the species to its former homelands.

"The success of that work means we can go ahead with more trapping of chuditch to release in South Australia," the Minister said.

"I am proud that WA is continuing to lead the way in helping with the recovery of chuditch populations across the nation.

"It is exciting that the successful establishment of the Flinders Ranges population is the first time in almost a century that these marsupials are free-ranging outside WA.

"We hope that through relocations such as this, we can significantly reduce the risk of extinction for chuditch."

Trapping of chuditch in the South-West started this month. The animals will be housed at the Native Animal Rescue wildlife refuge at Malaga where their health will be assessed, and they will be fitted with radio-transmitters for future monitoring.

They will then be flown to the Flinders Ranges and released at dusk and monitored intensively throughout the next 12 months.

Fact File

• The reintroduction project is a part of the Chuditch Recovery Program
• The project is being led by the South Australian Government and Foundation of Australia's Most Endangered Species in partnership with the Department of Parks and Wildlife and Native Animal Rescue

Minister's office - 6552 5800