Back from the Brink: Burrowing bettong

"Burrowing Bettongs (or often referred to as Boodies in western and southern Australia), are a small, thick-set, kangaroo-like animal and they are the only macropod to construct and permanently shelter in burrows . . . Like many Australian marsupials, Burrowing Bettongs are nocturnal – emerging after sunset to feed and returning to their burrow before sunrise. Individuals are omnivorous, feeding primarily on roots, tubers and fungi, but they also browse the leaves of a variety of plant species, and have been observed climbing into the lower limbs of shrubs to feed on their seeds. Breeding varies in response to rainfall but can occur at any time of the year. Once widespread across arid and semi-arid areas in the south, central and western parts of Australia, Burrowing Bettongs’ range has contracted dramatically following European settlement and the remaining populations are now only present on a small number of islands off the coast of Western Australia." In the 19th century, colonists killed boodies, considered them a garden pest. Invasive predators such as foxes and cats also contributed to the rapid decline of the species. By 1966, the species appeared to be virtually extinct from its original range, with small populations only remaining in northwestern and central Australia." In response to this decline, conservationists implemented rigorous reintroduction programs, creating safe havens where boodie populations could recover. "Reintroductions to feral predator-free exclosures and islands have resulted in the successful establishment of a number of populations in Western Australia, New South Wales and South Australia."