AusLeisure

Conservation organisation Aussie Ark has partnered with its sister organisation the Australian Reptile Park for the first ever transfer of two endangered Parma wallabies from the Central Coast to the Barrington Tops.

The two Parma wallabies were born at the Australian Reptile Park and were part of a small cohort of wallabies on public display.

Due to their genetic value, the male and female youngsters were ‘caught up’ and transferred to the Barrington Tops’ facility to join Aussie Ark’s world-leading Parma wallaby breeding and rewilding program. The program has been running for five years and is vital work stopping the species from becoming extinct.

The Parma wallaby is a tiny macropod, once widespread along the Eastern seaboard. But feral predation and land clearing has decimated the species, and it was thought extinct until accidentally rediscovered in the 1960s. Small populations exist in the wild, with a stronghold being the Gosford district; the location of the Australian Reptile Park.

Aussie Ark Operations Manager Dean Reid worked with Australian Reptile Park Mammal & Bird Keeper Lauren Hunter to conduct the transfer and shared “First step was a rigorous health check. This involved a microchip check, weighing them, inspecting feet and teeth, and checking the fat of their tails to give them a ‘body condition’ score. Both wallabies had a score of three, which is perfect!”

During the health check the team was delighted to discover a tiny joey in the female’s pouch.

The two Parma wallabies (and joey!) were driven to the Ark by Reid and released into a huge enclosure in the Species Recovery Unit. Here they’ll acclimatise to the Alpine environment before release into the 400-hectare Barrington Wildlife Sanctuary next month, where they will live out the rest of their lives ‘wild’ and free.

To see these exquisite animals face-to-face, Aussie Ark encourages the public to book a tour of its Barrington Tops facility or visit the Australian Reptile Park. And to help Aussie Ark continue its vital conservation work with the Parma wallabies, please donate now at aussieark.org.au.  

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