Potoroos receive final approval to return to Aussie Ark’s Barrington Wildlife Sanctuary

Conservation organisation Aussie Ark advise they will be releasing 30 long-nosed Potoroos into the protected wilds of the Barrington Wildlife Sanctuary - the biggest release of Potoroos to the Sanctuary since the Aussie Ark program started in 2017.

The Barrington wildlife sanctuary, which was officially opened in 2020, encloses 400 hectares of native habitat that the organisation has worked to rid of feral predators and rehabilitate to provide a safe island refuge for missing native species.

On the release Kelly Davis, Aussie Ark Curator notes “it is hugely impactful due to the role that these tiny critters play. Potoroos are what we refer to as ecosystem engineers. Ecosystem engineers are species that modify their environment in a significant manner. Through their activities ecosystem engineers significantly affect other species by providing and maintaining microhabitats that would not otherwise exist”

In preparation for the release to the wild, the Aussie Ark team have performed health checks on each individual set to make the journey to the sanctuary. This includes catching each animal to weigh them, confirm their microchip number and take some body score measurements.

“We’re happy to report that every individual has passed their check with flying colours and we can move onto the next step for these little guys” Davis said.

From now the Potoroos will be transferred to ‘soft release’ enclosures. Simply put, these are tiny sanctuaries within the larger sanctuary. Doing this two phased process, allows the Potoroos the opportunity to adapt and familiarise themselves with the larger surroundings before their official release date arrives.

The Long-nosed Potoroo is one of the smallest and most ancient members of the kangaroo family and is a living fossil, having remained relatively unchanged for around 10 million years. Once widespread along the East Coast of Australia, and like many other smaller native mammals, its population has declined and fragmented since the introduction of foxes and cats, making it difficult for breeding and resulting in local extinctions.

Davis added “we’re really excited to see the return of this incredible species to our sanctuary, and the impact they will have over time on the broader environment.”

Following a tough three years for Australian wildlife, the task of protecting our species into the future is one that Aussie Ark takes seriously, but it is the responsibility of us all. You can support Aussie Ark and their rewilding efforts by donating today.