With help from the James N. Kirby Foundation, Australian Wildlife Conservancy (AWC) is delivering one of the nation’s most important endangered species projects – establishing a massive cat-free area at Newhaven Wildlife Sanctuary in central Australia to secure the reintroduction of 10 native Australian mammals.
Central Australia is a vast marsupial ghost town at the epicentre of global mammal extinctions. Feral animals and altered fire regimes have robbed the region of its native wildlife. Many of central Australia’s mammals, like the Mala and the Woylie, have disappeared, while the Black-footed Rock-wallaby hangs on by a thread. This project aims to turn back the clock by returning small-medium sized mammals on a scale never before attempted on mainland Australia.
Stage 1 of this project is well underway and involves building 45 kilometres of conservation fencing to create a feral-free area that protects 9,450 hectares of diverse habitats, including a rugged quartzite range (home to endangered rock wallabies) and vast spinifex plains. AWC’s Newhaven Warlpiri Rangers are playing a critical role in establishing the feral-proof fence and removing feral cats.
AWC is grateful to the James N. Kirby Foundation for contributing towards construction of the Stage 1 fence (due for completion in early 2018). Stage 1 will then be the largest fox and cat-free area on mainland Australia. When combined with Stage 2 (60,000+ hectares) AWC will have delivered the world’s largest (by area) feral cat eradication. Once Stage 1 is complete AWC will commence reintroducing a suite of regionally extinct mammals into this vast cat-free area. Overall, this project will see the population of six of Australia’s most threatened mammals doubled!
The Newhaven project is an historic initiative: it is the first project in Australia’s history to deliver a significant increase in the population of more than 10 nationally threatened mammal species and restore the wildlife of a vast area of central Australia to the state it was in prior to the arrival of European settlers.
The Newhaven project is an historic initiative: it is the first project in Australia’s history to deliver a significant increase in the population of more than 10 nationally threatened mammal species and restore the wildlife of a vast area of central Australia to the state it was in prior to the arrival of European settlers.
Shauna Chadlowe
Development Executive