Exciting news from the Kojonup Reserve phascogale reintroduction project on World Environment Day

	Eight phascogales were capured or observed. Photo by Geoff Corrick

In 2010 Bush Heritage teamed up with the Western Australian Department of Environment and Conservation to introduce red-tailed phascogales to our Kojonup Reserve in the southern wheat-belt of WA.

Thirty phascogales were released over the course of two years and 30 cozy nest boxes were erected to keep them safe.

This is only the second time that wild members of the species have been translocated between locations, and the first ever attempt at establishing a population in an area that is not protected by a feral-proof fence. 

Bush Heritage Ecologist Angela Sanders spent five days trapping and observing phascogales. Photo by Geoff Corrick

Proof of success 

Now we have evidence that the translocation is succeeding, and that thanks to our generous supporters and diligent work by staff and volunteers this beautiful marsupial is thriving in the reserve.

In May volunteer Geoff Corrick and Bush Heritage Ecologist Angela Sanders spent five days at Kojonup trapping and observing the phascogales.

The results were exciting. Five healthy animals were captured - two females and three males. One of the females was marked, which means that she had been caught before and is possibly one of the translocated animals. The other female and all the males were born on the reserve.

One of the males was trapped just west of the release area in sheoak and wandoo woodland, and another was found to the east. In addition at least three animals were seen curled up in the nest boxes, including one in a sheoak site in the northern area of the reserve.

This tells us that the released animals have been breeding successfully and are colonising suitable habitat throughout the reserve.

	A nest box with lid secured to protect phascogales from brush tailed possums. Photo by Geoff Corrick

Nest box design may be the key to success

In 2011 Angela captured video footage which revealed that brush-tailed possums were investigating the nest boxes. She became concerned they were hunting for phascogale snacks and modified the boxes to secure the lids - a change that may be crucial to the success of the project.

There will be three more years of monitoring before we can be sure the translocation project has been successful. But the results so far are very encouraging, and proof that passionate conservationists like you, supporting us in ground-breaking projects, can make a very real difference for Australia’s endangered species.