What can you do to stop Bilbies from becoming extinct?

Answer 1

There are a number of conservation measures already being undertaken to try and prevent the extinction of the Greater bilby, an endangered marsupial of Australia. The Lesser bily is already believed to be extinct, but it is not yet too late to save the Greater Bilby.

Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service has been studying and monitoring a bilby colony in far west Queensland since 1988, whilst scientific research on both the ground and from the air has surveyed south-west Queensland to study habits and numbers of the bilby. The Astrebla Downs National Park, a protected reserve, includes this western Qld colony. Already there have been successful reintroductions of captive-bred individuals into sites located in Western Australia and South Australia.

In addition, bilbies are being bred in captivity in Queensland, the Northern Territory, and South Australia. This ensures their protection, and there are plans to reintroduce captive-bred bilbies to their former habitat if necessary, to ensure the bilby's overall survival.

Further measures being considered are the removal or increased control of cattle and predators.

The Save the Bilby Fund has more information. See the related link.

You can also contact an organisation like WIRES and inquire with them.

To raise funds for the bilbies cause, Darrel Lea has been selling chocolate bilbies, which have lead to a 25 sq km safe haven being erected in Currawinya National Park. On 19 April 2005, 30-40 bilbies were released, and another 6 in February 2006.