The brush-tailed bettong, an adorable marsupial resembling a rabbit-sized kangaroo, is experiencing a resurgence on the South Australian mainland after more than a century of absence. Once populating over 60 percent of Australia, these bettongs fell victim to cats, foxes, and land-clearing following European settlement over two centuries ago.
In a hopeful development, wildlife scientists released 120 bettongs into South Australia’s Yorke Peninsula over a two-year period. The goal was to determine if they could survive beyond predator-proof enclosures or islands. Recent monitoring indicates that the bettongs are not just surviving but thriving, according to researchers.
In a recent trapping effort, scientists managed to capture 85 brush-tailed bettongs. Remarkably, 40 percent of them were newly born animals from the peninsula, and out of the 45 females, 42 had young in their pouches.
Derek Sandow, an ecologist for the Northern and Yorke Landscape Board, expressed his excitement, stating, “It’s fantastic to see so many new animals in the population.”
Brush-tailed bettongs, whose population has dwindled from tens of millions to an estimated 12,000 to 18,000, have managed to survive on Australian islands, in protected enclosures, and in small pockets of Western Australia.
Sandow attributed their successful return to South Australia to an intensive cat and fox control program, as well as the implementation of a “leaky” fence that reduces predator presence in the southern part of the peninsula without entirely excluding them.
Sandow explained that these small creatures, often described as “mini kangaroos on steroids,” play a significant role in Australia’s ecosystem. Despite their small size of just a kilo and a half (three pounds), they possess powerful hind legs and carry their young in pouches, similar to kangaroos. They dig extensively, creating microhabitats that promote water infiltration and seed establishment, making them vital to the ecosystem.
Sandow noted that since the decline of brush-tailed bettongs due to cats and foxes, no other species has been able to fulfill their ecological role in making the Australian landscape habitable for other wildlife.
When under attack, female brush-tailed bettongs employ an unusual but effective defense mechanism. They maneuver through the bush at high speed, zigzagging to escape their predators. Furthermore, females have an additional strategy of ejecting their young from their pouches, diverting the predator’s attention away from themselves. Sandow clarified, “It sounds like horrible parenting, but it’s really successful.”
Brush-tailed bettongs reproduce rapidly, often having embryos ready to enter the pouch as their young naturally leave or perish. Sandow emphasized that they have the ability to replace their offspring within a matter of weeks, maintaining their reproductive cycle.
Scientists believe that the brush-tailed bettong and other species can thrive as long as fox and cat populations are controlled, even if eradication is not achieved. Sandow expressed hope that the successful recovery of the brush-tailed bettong is just the beginning of restoring and reviving various species in the Australian bush.
