At Adelaide Zoo, the dedicated keepers are celebrating an amazing breeding season for the Red-tailed Phascogale, a tiny marsupial that’s no longer found in the wild in South Australia.
Over the past three years, 148 jellybean-sized joeys have been born. This year, an incredible 95 joeys have been spotted in pouches!
In partnership with the Australian Wildlife Conservancy (AWC) and the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS), Zoos SA has been working hard to save these special animals from extinction. They’ve been breeding a population in special safe spaces for release into predator-free areas, like the huge Mallee Cliffs National Park in the Murray Darling Basin.
So far, 54 Red-tailed Phascogales have been released into Mallee Cliffs since 2022.
“All the joeys are now out of their pouches and doing well. We’re getting ready for the next release, and it’s an exciting step forward after such a successful breeding season,” says Michelle Birkett, Assistant Curator of Natives.
Our team works really hard to help these little animals thrive. It’s so important that we make sure species like these are here for generations to come.
Protected places like Mallee Cliffs National Park give the Phascogales a safe home away from harmful predators like foxes and cats, while the team at AWC tracks how they settle into their new environment.
Visitors to Adelaide Zoo can now see the Red-tailed Phascogales up close in the Nocturnal House.
But that’s not all! At Monarto Safari Park, two amazing bird species are also being helped to thrive.
Two adorable Plains-wanderer chicks have hatched and are being looked after by a feathered foster dad, a first for the park. These tiny birds are endangered in the wild, so this is a huge milestone.
Also, the endangered Mallee-emu Wrens, one of Australia’s tiniest birds, have had a successful second breeding season. Their flock has grown from 10 to 25 birds! These little creatures only weigh about four to six grams, and the project is a collaboration with the Threatened Mallee Bird Conservation Action Plan Steering Committee (TMB CAP).
“The two Plains-wanderer chicks are doing great. What’s been extra exciting is that we’ve used a foster dad for the first time here at Monarto Safari Park!” says Gemma Asser, Senior Natives Keeper.
“Neo, the foster dad, did a wonderful job looking after the eggs and now he’s being a great parent to the chicks.”
“Also, the Mallee-emu Wrens have really settled in here. All five of the breeding pairs have had babies, and we’ve even added cameras to track their activities. This will help us learn more about these mysterious birds and create the first-ever care guidelines for them.”
By becoming a Life Member of Zoos SA, you can help protect endangered species and support our work in preserving wildlife across Australia and beyond. For a limited time, Life Memberships are available for just $2,850 (down from $3,090.50), with every penny going towards conservation efforts.
More information on how you can help protect endangered species or become a Life Member at Zoos SA:
zoossa.com.au/life-membership/
