Reintroduction of the burrowing bettong Bettongia lesueur (Marsupialia : Potoroidae) to mainland Australia

The burrowing bettong was successfully reintroduced to the Australian mainl and in 1992 after an absence of 50 years. The population, derived from 42 i ndividuals translocated from a remnant population on an offshore island, ha s persisted for over seven years on the Heirisson Prong peninsula at Shark Bay in Western Australia. It has grown to over 260 individuals that are dis tributed widely through available habitat. The successful management of exo tic European foxes and feral cats proved crucial to the outcome of the rein troduction. Factors contributing to the successful management of predators and to a reduction in their impact included: the choice of a narrow peninsu la as the site for reintroduction (permitting cost-effective use of predato r-proof fencing); effective baiting (fox and cat) and trapping (cat) strate gies; the maintenance of an in situ breeding colony (to provide insurance a gainst major loss of free-range animals to predators); choice of high quali ty habitat (providing reasonable cover and promoting a high and relatively stable rate of increase for bettongs, even during dry years), and choice of a site that was accessible for regular management visits. An abundance of European rabbits at the reintroduction site appeared not to be a limiting f actor. The success of this reintroduction has stimulated a range of other r eintroductions of endangered mammals to arid and semi-arid sites across Aus tralia, particularly to peninsulas or other sites where exotic predators ca n be controlled effectively. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights rese nted.