Magazine aids potoroo conservation group

Efforts to save the world’s rarest marsupial from extinction received a much-needed boost last month, after Australian Geographic donated $22,580 to an Albany not-for-profit conservation group.

The magazine featured the critically endangered Gilbert’s potoroo in its March-April edition to fundraise for Gilbert’s Potoroo Action Group.

GAPG chairman Ron Dorn said the volunteer group, which has worked since 2001 to raise awareness of the potoroo’s plight as well as funds for research and recovery programs, was delighted to receive the donation two weeks ago.

“We thought it was wonderful just for people to read about the potoroo but we were absolutely thrilled to find out they had raised that amount of money,” he said.

In November, a bushfire scorched 90 per cent of the potoroo’s last known wild habitat at Mt Gardner in Two Peoples Bay Nature Reserve.

Five adult potoroos survived the blaze, while fewer than 60 animals are estimated to exist across two translocated populations at Bald Island and Waychinicup National Park.

Mr Dorn said the potoroo’s survival prospects were dire.

“All issues with recovery actions had to be reassessed because of the effects of the fire,” he said.

“That area will not be habitable for about 10 years, which really pushes the need for translocations.”

Mr Dorn said the donation would be used to support translocations and GPS tracking equipment.

In January, the Federal Government committed to improving the potoroo’s population trajectory by 2020, by adding the marsupial to its Threatened Species Strategy.