There was once thought to be fewer than 1,000 numbats left in the wild, but a new study in southern Western Australia suggests that number is far greater.
Looks like our Nellie and friends are doing better than expected.
Experts believe the wild numbat population in Western Australia is much higher than previously estimated in a welcome boost to conservation efforts for the state’s animal emblem.
It was thought fewer than 1,000 critically endangered numbats remained in two wild populations in the south of the state, at Dryandra Woodland near Narrogin and in the Upper Warren region near Manjimup.
But a detailed collaborative study between the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA) and the University of Western Australia (UWA) estimates there is a population of just under 2,000 in the Upper Warren region alone.
UWA’s Sian Thorn led the study, which used motion sensor cameras operating 24 hours a day to capture images of the elusive species.
The department’s Donnelly district manager Duncan Palmer said since the fire there had been a major effort to get a better understanding of numbat populations in the area.
Mr Palmer said the monitoring was a long-term project that would help guide conservation and protection of the important species, and others in the area such as woylies, ringtail possums and chuditches.
The original article contains 512 words, the summary contains 178 words. Saved 65%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!
This is the best summary I could come up with:
Experts believe the wild numbat population in Western Australia is much higher than previously estimated in a welcome boost to conservation efforts for the state’s animal emblem.
It was thought fewer than 1,000 critically endangered numbats remained in two wild populations in the south of the state, at Dryandra Woodland near Narrogin and in the Upper Warren region near Manjimup.
But a detailed collaborative study between the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA) and the University of Western Australia (UWA) estimates there is a population of just under 2,000 in the Upper Warren region alone.
UWA’s Sian Thorn led the study, which used motion sensor cameras operating 24 hours a day to capture images of the elusive species.
The department’s Donnelly district manager Duncan Palmer said since the fire there had been a major effort to get a better understanding of numbat populations in the area.
Mr Palmer said the monitoring was a long-term project that would help guide conservation and protection of the important species, and others in the area such as woylies, ringtail possums and chuditches.
The original article contains 512 words, the summary contains 178 words. Saved 65%. I’m a bot and I’m open source!