The Department of Environment and Science (DES) has announced that the critically endangered northern hairy-nosed wombat has reached a population milestone, now exceeding more than 300.
Director of the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service’s Threatened Species Operations, Manda Page said conservationists now had cause for cautious celebrations.
“When the species was first surveyed, in the early 1980s, there were just 35 wombats, found in only one location in the world — here in Queensland,” Dr Page said.
Since then, she said, the Department, with the support of organisations including Glencore, The Wombat Foundation, as well as landowners and volunteers, had undertaken recovery actions to bring the species back from the brink.
“There are now an estimated 315 wombats, living in two locations, but we are working to identify wombat habitat to establish more populations,” Dr Page said.
“This is welcome news indeed and we are greatly encouraged by the steady growth in numbers.”
She said despite this initial success, there was still a long way to go to secure the future of the species.
The northern hairy-nosed wombat was listed as endangered in Queensland under the Queensland Nature Conservation Act 1992, but as critically endangered nationally under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.
The Queensland status changed from endangered to critically endangered so the categories were aligned with international standards.
“This change does not reflect a lack of success in recovery efforts for the species as we continue to see the numbers increase,” Dr Page said.
