The Program Focus

This program focuses on the mainland population of the Eastern Barred Bandicoot which was once widespread across the grasslands and grassy woodlands of western Victoria and South Australia. The species is also found in Tasmania where its status is relatively secure. The overall objective is to minimise the probability of its extinction by establishing a self-sustaining reintroduced population. Habitat management, predator control and captive breeding are key elements to achieving this.

The Program Plan

The objectives as outlined in the National Recovery Plan (Draft, 2005) are:

1. Establish a self-sustaining reintroduced population.
2. Maintain a captive population.
3. Build and maintain community and institutional support for the Eastern Barred Bandicoot Recovery program.

Zoos Victoria's Role

Zoos Victoria’s key roles in the recovery of this species are to:

1. Supplement in situ populations through captive breeding for reintroduction.
2. In the event that the wild population continues to decline, to maintain an insurance population in captivity.

In addition, a soft-release facility (i.e. a large protected, predator-proof enclosure containing natural habitat) has been constructed at Werribee Open Range Zoo within the Basalt Plains Experience. The purpose of this facility is to support the Recovery Plan by increasing our capacity to hold captive-bred animals in a soft release area prior to release into the wild. The soft release area is 3.7 hectares in size and has been developed to resemble the basalt plains of western Victoria.