The **Call to Earth** initiative by CNN is a crucial editorial series dedicated to raising awareness on the environmental challenges our planet encounters, while also spotlighting potential solutions. Partnering with **Rolex’s Perpetual Planet** initiative, this series emphasizes the importance of education surrounding sustainability and aspires to inspire proactive measures toward a more sustainable future.
One of the fascinating subjects within the ecological discourse is the **brush-tailed bettong**, a diminutive marsupial resembling a tiny kangaroo. Despite its endearing appearance, this animal exhibits survival tactics that showcase the harsh realities of nature. For instance, when confronted by predators, a bettong will abandon its young, ejecting its joey from its pouch to secure its own escape. Such an act, while appearing brutal, is a compelling survival strategy, particularly for a species recently believed to be extinct in **South Australia’s Yorke Peninsula**.
Historically, brush-tailed bettongs, also known as **woylies**, roamed over sixty percent of mainland Australia. However, the advent of European colonization drastically altered their habitat, introducing predatory species such as feral cats and foxes, while simultaneously contributing to the destruction of the native grassland and woodland environments that these animals depend on. This decline in habitat, combined with the onset of blood parasites, led to a staggering 90% reduction in their population from 1999 to 2010. Presently, the brush-tailed bettong is confined to a handful of islands and isolated spots in Southwestern Australia, covering only about 1% of its historical range.
The importance of restoring this species and others like it has galvanized efforts from conservationists. **Derek Sandow**, who manages the *Marna Banggara* project—an initiative aimed at revitalizing the ecological diversity of the Yorke Peninsula—describes the aspiration of bringing back native species that have vanished due to European colonization practices. This project was initially called the *Great Southern Ark*, but it was renamed to acknowledge the region’s native **Narungga** people, who play an integral role in the initiative.
In the Narungga language, the term “Marna” translates to “good, prosperous, and healthy,” while “Banggara” signifies “country,” as explained by **Garry Goldsmith**, a representative of the Narungga community involved in the project. The team undertook a monumental task, constructing a 25-kilometer predator-control fence to create a sanctuary covering 150,000 hectares, designed specifically for the reintroduction of brush-tailed bettongs, or **yalgiri** as they are known in Narungga culture. Sandow relays that their measures to reduce the impact of foxes and cats have enabled bettongs to thrive once reintroduced.
Between 2021 and 2023, the project team successfully released nearly 200 brush-tailed bettongs into their newfound sanctuary. These individuals were sourced from various surviving populations throughout Western Australia as a means of enhancing genetic diversity, critical for the long-term viability of the species. Sandow emphasizes that diversity within a population is vital, as it provides the genetic foundation necessary for future resilience.
These remarkable little creatures primarily consume bulbs, seeds, insects, and especially fungi found underground. Their digging behavior makes them integral “nature’s little gardeners,” as described by Sandow, which serves to aerate the soil, improve water filtration, and assist in seed germination, ultimately benefitting other species within the ecosystem. Given their pivotal role, the plan to reintroduce them is carefully considered to ensure ecological balance.
So far, the outcomes of this reintroduction program have surpassed initial expectations, with nearly 40% of the individuals identified in recent surveys being descendants of those that were originally reintroduced. Moreover, 22 out of 26 females were found to be pregnant, indicating a healthy breeding population. As Goldsmith stated, learning from this process is fundamental. The team’s broader ambition encompasses reintroducing additional locally extinct marsupials, such as the **southern brown bandicoot** and **western quoll**, over the forthcoming years.
Both Sandow and Goldsmith assert that such projects not only revitalize ecosystems but can also contribute positively to local economies—benefiting tourism and agriculture while providing necessary conservation outcomes. Their vision highlights the potential for synergy between ecological preservation and economic prosperity.
