Lotterywest grant to help conserve threatened mammals

The future of threatened mammals in Western Australia's Mid-West has been boosted with a $500,000 Lotterywest grant which will be used to build a feral predator proof fence.

  • Australian Wildlife Conservancy to receive $500,000 Lotterywest grant

  • Grant will see establishment of feral predator proof fenced area at Mt Gibson for nine threatened mammal species

The future of threatened mammals in Western Australia's Mid-West has been boosted with a $500,000 Lotterywest grant which will be used to build a feral predator proof fence.

Presenting the grant today to Australian Wildlife Conservancy (AWC), Environment Minister Albert Jacob said the community organisation was working hard to ensure native wildlife recovery.

"AWC now has 23 sanctuaries throughout Australia, including seven in Western Australia, dedicated to assisting in the recovery and conservation of native wildlife," Mr Jacob said.

"This grant will be used by AWC to construct a feral predator-free fenced area of more than 7,000ha at its Mt Gibson Wildlife Sanctuary in the Mid-West. The fence will allow the reintroduction of nine threatened fauna species by the end of 2017.

"This attempt to bring back animals once found wild in the area will see the translocation of species including the woylie, bilby, numbat, banded-hare wallaby, Shark Bay mouse, greater stick-nest rat, western barred bandicoot, red-tailed phascogale and chuditch.

"This project will complement the recovery work being done by the Department of Parks and Wildlife for each of these animals and for two other threatened species that are already in place at Mt Gibson, the malleefowl and the Western spiny-tailed skink."

The Minister said Parks and Wildlife was working with AWC to source animals for many of the reintroductions and to ensure both recovery programs were working together for the benefit of these threatened species.

"AWC and the department have collaborated on a number of conservation programs over the past decade and the partnership is an excellent example of how government and non-profit organisations can work together to recover and manage threatened fauna," Mr Jacob said.

Fact File

  • Mount Gibson is located approximately 400km north-east of Perth

  • WA is the only State in Australia where the profits from lottery products are returned to the community

Minister's office - 6552 5800