NeemsThe Easter Bunny is killing our Bilby
October 5th 2006 23:34
The Bilby is one of those unique looking mammals that is unique and distinctly Aussie. It has massive ears, a silky coat and a black and white tail, very cute. It is a ground dwelling marsupial (has a backward facing pouch) that lives in burrows and as such has copped a hiding from foxes, feral cats and from the rabbit. Yes, the rabbit.
Before the arrival of many of our introduced ferals, the Bilby was fairly widespread over mainland Australia but is now only found in a few areas such as the Tanami Desert in the Northern Territory and in some patches of Western Australia and southwest Queensland. In many areas rabbits are responsible for driving populations of bilbies out of their burrows. Rabbits live in burrows also and when they moved into bilby territory they found these ready made homes and because they breed so prolifically they soon outnumbered the bilby. Rabbits also compete with bilbies for food and suitable habitat.
There is a National Recovery Plan to save the bilby and it is protected in Australia under Commonwealth legislation. The bilby is listed as a vulnerable species. ‘Save the Bilby’ project was set up in southwest Queensland and as a result of this they were able to build a totally fenced, predator proof 25 square kilometre enclosure within Currawinya National Park, southwest of Charleville in Queensland. A successful captive breeding colony was established with the aim of releasing these animals into the fenced area. Once the fenced area was free of all predators (foxes, cats, wild dogs) and rabbits, a small population of bilbies was released into the enclosed area with the final aim of re-introducing the bilby to this part of the state.
Here's hoping for a successful comeback of the bilby. MB
Courtesy of Australian Government Department of Environment and Heritage website
Before the arrival of many of our introduced ferals, the Bilby was fairly widespread over mainland Australia but is now only found in a few areas such as the Tanami Desert in the Northern Territory and in some patches of Western Australia and southwest Queensland. In many areas rabbits are responsible for driving populations of bilbies out of their burrows. Rabbits live in burrows also and when they moved into bilby territory they found these ready made homes and because they breed so prolifically they soon outnumbered the bilby. Rabbits also compete with bilbies for food and suitable habitat.
Courtesy of the Queensland Government EPA Website
There is a National Recovery Plan to save the bilby and it is protected in Australia under Commonwealth legislation. The bilby is listed as a vulnerable species. ‘Save the Bilby’ project was set up in southwest Queensland and as a result of this they were able to build a totally fenced, predator proof 25 square kilometre enclosure within Currawinya National Park, southwest of Charleville in Queensland. A successful captive breeding colony was established with the aim of releasing these animals into the fenced area. Once the fenced area was free of all predators (foxes, cats, wild dogs) and rabbits, a small population of bilbies was released into the enclosed area with the final aim of re-introducing the bilby to this part of the state.
Here's hoping for a successful comeback of the bilby. MB
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