The boodies are back

15/8/03
Boodies are about to make a return to the wild in Western Australia's Wheatbelt.
Twenty of the small native marsupials - that have not been recorded in the wild in the Wheatbelt for 60 years - will be reintroduced into Dryandra woodland, north-west of Narrogin next week.
Environment Minister Judy Edwards today said the release into the wild followed a successful breeding program by the Department of Conservation and Land Management.
"Boodies are a small macropod that once had one of the broadest geographic ranges of any Australian mammal," Dr Edwards said.
"They are a 'cousin' of the woylie that was the first native mammal species to be removed from the State and national threatened species list as a consequence of research and management.
"Also called burrowing bettongs - boodies weigh about 1.5kg and are extremely susceptible to predation by the European fox and feral cat."
The Minister said the animals to be released into the wild had been bred in a 10ha enclosure CALM built in 1998.
"The enclosure was set up as part of the 'Return to Dryandra' project that aims to breed five species of threatened marsupials for reintroduction into the woodland and other similar sites where the department has controlled foxes," she said.
"Part of the State Government's Western Shield program, this initiative is about ensuring we protect our unique flora and fauna for future generations."
Dr Edwards said predation by introduced species, loss of habitat and changed fire regimes were contributing factors to the decline of the boodie on the mainland.
"The last reports of boodies in the Wheatbelt were back in the 1940s," she said.
"Today, the only known wild populations are on Bernier and Dorre islands in the Shark Bay World Heritage Area, and on Barrow Island off the Pilbara coast.
"The species also has been reintroduced into Heirisson Prong and Faure Island in Shark Bay and onto Boodie Island at the southern tip of Barrow Island.
"An encouraging aspect for the reintroduction of the species into Dryandra is that the valley slopes in the woodland contain several old boodie burrows.
"Monitoring by CALM has shown that some of these burrows have been reactivated by bilbies, another burrowing marsupial that the department has reintroduced into Dryandra."
Dr Edwards said the release of the boodies would be in several stages.
"The initial phase will involve releasing six boodies - two males and four females - into a one-hectare compound where they will be held for four weeks to acclimatise to the area," she said.
"After the four weeks, the compound will be opened up enabling the animals to search further habitat. The animals will be fitted with radio devices that will enable them to be tracked and monitored.
"Another group of seven boodies will be released into artificial burrows that are within 10m of old boodie warrens while a third group will be released further afield into artificial burrows.
"Overall, 15 of the 20 animals will be fitted with radio collars. Further monitoring will be undertaken next year to assess the survival rate of the animals. If it is shown that they have become established and are breeding in the wild, there will be further releases from the captive breeding stock."
Dr Edwards said the release was part of a recovery plan for the species. The release of boodies into Dryandra would also assist in restoring the ecosystem of the woodland.
Minister's office: 9220 5050