Eastern Barred Bandicoot - Conservation Context

CONSERVATION BACKGROUND

Eastern Barred Bandicoot Photo: Amy Winnard

Eastern Barred Bandicoots are small rabbit-sized marsupials, named for their distinctive ‘bars’ across the rump.  They feed on insects and vegetation and were once widespread across three million hectares of grassland and grassy woodland from Melbourne to south-east South Australia. 

Although short-lived (generally only 2-3 years in the wild), Eastern Barred Bandicoots are highly fecund.  Pregnant for only 12-13 days, females bear 1-5 young who themselves can breed from 4 months of age.

Despite their ability to reproduce rapidly, Eastern Barred Bandicoots have not been able to cope with the combined pressures of habitat loss and feral animal predation in mainland Australia.  The last South Australian animal was recorded in the late 1800s, and in Victoria the subspecies declined to a single population on the western basalt plains near Hamilton.  The Hamilton population is now considered extinct.

A captive breeding program for Eastern Barred Bandicoots was established in the early 1990s.

CONSERVATION STATUS

Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Federal) – Endangered
Flora & Fauna Guarantee Act 1988 (Victoria) - Threatened
DSE Advisory List of Threatened Vertebrate Fauna in Victoria 2007 – Critically Endangered

On the Australian mainland, there was a widespread, sustained and catastrophic decline in Eastern Barred Bandicoot populations after European settlement due to:

  • Predation by feral pests such as cats and foxes
  • Loss of native grasslands due to the introduction of exotic pasture grasses, rabbits and domestic stock, and the use of agricultural fertilisers
  • Clearing of woodlands
  • Establishment of settlements
  • Altered fire regimes

Because of the small population size, loss of genetic diversity is also a potential threat to the Eastern Barred Bandicoot.

In Tasmania, another subspecies of Eastern Barred Bandicoot is relatively secure.

RECOVERY PROGRAM

The Eastern Barred Bandicoot Recovery Program focuses on the mainland subspecies of Eastern Barred Bandicoot.   The overall objective of the Program is to minimise the probability of extinction of the Eastern Barred Bandicoot by establishing a self-sustaining reintroduced population.

The specific objectives of recovery for the Eastern Barred Bandicoot are to:

  • Establish a self-sustaining reintroduced population
  • Maintain a captive population
  • Maintain and enhance community and institutional support for conservation

As part of the Recovery Program, there have been numerous trial reintroductions of Eastern Barred Bandicoots.  There are currently three reintroduced populations, at Hamilton Community Parklands, Mooramong and Mt Rothwell.  More reintroductions are planned in the future with the aim for the overall population to become self-sustaining.

CONSERVATION PARTNERS

The Eastern Barred Bandicoot Recovery Team involves many organisations and community groups.  Each Recovery Team member brings particular expertise to the recovery effort, ranging from captive breeding, habitat management and predator control to education and research. Key partners include: