Marsupials progressing well near Tenterden

Almost a year after the first southern brown bandicoots, or quendas, were released into a wildlife sanctuary near Tenterden, volunteers returned to monitor the marsupials’ progress.

Balijup Nature Sanctuary was opened in May last year, with eight male and eight female animals translocated from bush reserves in Albany to the 111ha reserve in August.

Last month, citizen scientists trapped and released five quendas at the 111ha predator-free enclosure 7km south-east of Tenterden.

Green Skills project manager Basil Schur said the aims of the sanctuary were to provide an enclosure free from feral cat and fox predation, in order to establish a breeding population of quendas and other native species.

Mr Schur said it was also hoped to promote community involvement with environmental restoration programs, education and science.

Four of the five quendas recently captured had been electronically tagged before their release into the sanctuary and were faring well.

“One of those caught was a female with advanced young in the pouch, and another was an untagged healthy male that was probably in the pouch when its mother was introduced in the sanctuary in August,” Mr Schur said.