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https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/oct/11/baby-numbats-australia-rarest-marsupial-hopeful-sign>
"Baby numbats have been spotted at two wildlife sanctuaries in south-western
New South Wales, sparking hope for one of Australia’s rarest marsupials.
Video captured by the Australian Wildlife Conservancy (AWC) shows some of the
juveniles exploring outside their den at Mallee Cliffs national park.
Five numbat joeys, including quadruplet siblings, were seen at Mallee Cliffs
and two more at Scotia wildlife sanctuary. The wildlife conservancy works with
state national parks staff at both sites on projects that have been
reintroducing the species in predator-free areas.
Brad Leue, the videographer and photographer who captured the footage at Mallee
Cliffs, said he watched the animals exploring outside the family den, which has
an opening about the size of a coffee cup.
“I was lucky enough to observe them for a couple of days and get an idea of
their routine, which involved sharing a den with mum overnight, venturing out
around 8am, and playing within 50 metres of their home while mum hunts for
termites,” Leue said.
Rachel Ladd, a wildlife ecologist with AWC, said babies were always a special
find, “particularly for a species as difficult to spot in the wild as the
numbat”.
“Seeing seven young numbats lets us know that the population is breeding in
favourable environmental conditions and becoming more established.”
Numbats are one of Australia’s rarest marsupials and are listed as endangered
under national laws."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
