Effective fox control has led to the reintroduction of chuditch

May 12, 1998

Effective fox control has led to the reintroduction of the chuditch into an area where it has not been seen for more than 50 years.

Environment Minister Cheryl Edwardes today said that 40 chuditch had been reintroduced into Cape Arid National Park, 120km east of Esperance - the first time the species had been reintroduced into its former home range.

She said the reintroduction followed successful comprehensive baiting for foxes under the Western Shield program.

The Department of Conservation and Land Management (CALM) program, aims to bring native animals back from the brink of extinction by controlling introduced predators, the European fox and feral cat.

The chuditch Dasyurus geoffroii, the largest carnivorous marsupial found in WA, used to be widespread and abundant throughout Australia. The introduction of predators such as foxes and feral cats has contributed greatly to its decline and it can now only be found in limited numbers in the South-West.

Mrs Edwardes said that through Western Shield, CALM was stopping the decline and bringing native animals, such as the chuditch, back from the brink of extinction.

"Through successful fox baiting operations at Cape Arid during the past two years, CALM has been able to significantly reduce fox numbers paving the way for this historic re-introduction of the chuditch," she said.

"The release at Cape Arid is part of a detailed recovery plan jointly funded by CALM, Environment Australia, Perth Zoo and Alcoa to improve the endangered conservation status of the chuditch by translocating it to parts of the State where fox control has been achieved.

"The chuditch reintroduced into Cape Arid were translocated from the captive breeding program at Perth Zoo - a joint project between the Zoo and CALM.

"Extensive post release monitoring by CALM science officers will commence immediately with long-term monitoring being undertaken by CALM district staff."

Mrs Edwardes said Cape Arid National Park was an excellent site for the reintroduction as fox numbers were under control and it provided the vegetation required for the chuditch habitat.

"Its 280,00 ha size, remoteness and close proximity to other nature reserves makes its an ideal site for the species to re-establish itself into its former home-range," she said.

The Minister said the reintroduction of chuditch at Cape Arid National Park augured well for the future of the species and WA's conservation efforts in saving native animals from extinction.

"This reintroduction follows the announcement last week that the tammar wallaby and the quenda would soon be de-listed from the State's Threatened Species List," she said.

"Recovery plans for the chuditch are right on track and it is hoped that in the future the chuditch may also follow suit and its threatened classification status be removed."

Media contact: Ministerial Nicole Trigwell on (08) 421 7777, 018 906 948

CALM Dr Syd Shea on (08) 9442 0325