Mala from the Tanami Desert have adapted well to their home on Trimouille Island

20/8/98

Mala from the Tanami Desert in the Northern Territory have adapted well to their new home on Trimouille Island in the Montebellos.

Environment Minister Cheryl Edwardes said that comprehensive monitoring of the 30 mala, or rufous hare wallabies, released on the island in June this year, showed positive and encouraging signs for the future welfare and survival of the species.

The translocation was carried out jointly by the Department of Conservation and Land Management (CALM) and the Parks and Wildlife Commission of the Northern Territory (PWCNT) with supporting funding from Environment Australia, sponsorship from Apache Energy and assistance from Faraday Pearls.

Mrs Edwardes said the mala was extinct in the wild on the Australian mainland with only about 250 animals in captivity.

"The release of mala is part of CALM's 'Montebello Renewal', a component of the wildlife recovery program Western Shield, and follows the successful eradication of introduced black rats from the Montebellos in 1996," she said.

"It is part of CALM's plans to bring native animals back from the brink of extinction by controlling the threat of introduced predators, which have caused a serious decline in native animal numbers."

The Minister said CALM's Threatened Species and Communities Unit Director, Dr Andrew Burbidge, visited Trimouille Island on August 8 with Don Langford of PWCNT to undertake monitoring of the radio transmitter fitted released mala.

"Radio tracking of the released mala showed that 28 were alive and doing well with only one animal death being recorded. One transmitter could not be located and had probably suffered a malfunction," she said.

"The monitoring results were excellent considering the very long distance the mala were transported in vehicles, fixed wing aircraft and helicopters.

"The result is even more encouraging when you consider that mala are known to die from stress associated with capture and transportation.

"Twelve of the female wallabies had small pouch young when released so there should be independent joeys hopping around the island soon.

"This, coupled with a plentiful supply of food produced by the abundant rainfall this year, means that the animals have the requirements to establish themselves on the island."

The Minister thanked Apache Energy, operators of oil and gas fields near the Montebellos, who arranged the recent visit to Trimouille Island. Further monitoring of the wallabies will take place in 1999.

Media contacts: Kirsten Stoney 9 221 1377

CALM - Dr Andrew Burbidge on 08 9405 5128