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Home , Potoroo, Quokka

GILBERT’S FACTSHEET

Gilbert's potoroo is Australia's most The Threatened Where do they live? Network is a endangered . It is only known community-based from a single, very small population on Gilbert's potoroo is only known from program of the Mount Gardner, near Albany, Western within the small area of Mount Gardener Australian Australia. Headland of Two Peoples Bay. Government’s Natural Heritage Trust and Early records of It occurs within 4 WWF Australia. Gilbert's potoroo separate patches of have indicated that dense vegetation the species has which has not been always been burnt for over 50 restricted to the years. high rainfall areas It is likely that of the South West unburnt areas are Photo: Gilbert’s Corner of WA, but necessary to potoroo was locally support the species. abundant in those Credit: Bill Wheatley areas. Early explorers and collectors such as What do they eat? John Gilbert documented that "immense Gilbert's potoroo relies on a good supply of its numbers could be captured by aborigines favourite food, truffles. Truffles are little cherry in a single afternoon”. sized fungal bodies (known ashypogeal fungi), Nowadays, there are fewer than 40 of which are the fruiting bodies of an these in the wild. underground fungus. Truffles are found just underneath the surface of the soil or down to a couple of inches which Did you know...... is about as far as will dig. Truffles have evolved as ‘bait’ for , because • Gilbert's potoroo is the most endangered mammals dig them up, eat them, defecate the mammal in Australia, and one of the spores elsewhere and thereby spread the rarest in the world. fungus. So it's actually to the fungus' benefit to be eaten by the potoroo, and hence it's • This small rat- was thought to be very tasty, it's very nutritious and it even emits Potoroo facts extinct since the late 1870’s until an odour which will attract the potoroo and rediscovered in 1994 at Two Peoples Bay allow it to find the truffle, dig it up and eat it. Scientific Name: near Albany. (Potorous gilbertii)

• Despite ongoing searches, no populations Gilbert’s potoroo has What is threatening them? been declared have been found outside the Two ‘endangered’ under Peoples Bay Nature Reserve. There are a number of threats facing Gilbert’s Commonwealth’s potoroo: Environment • John Gilbert’s notes recorded the potoroo Protection and as being the constant companion of the Feral predators: Gilbert's potoroo is within Biodiversity . the critical weight range (35g - 5kg) of Conservation Act mammals thought to be the most susceptible (1999) and ‘rare’ • It is puzzling that while the quokka to decline from feral predators. This is under ’s Wildlife persists over much of its range, Gilbert’s because they are the optimal size for both Conservatioin Act potoroo has declined so significantly. foxes and to prey upon. (1950). Foxes can be controlled through regular 1080 What needs to be done? baiting (1080 is a poison that is used in meat baits to eradicate feral carnivores). However, • Fire exclusion is a high priority for the a suitable control method for feral cats that protection and conservation of the wild does not also have an impact on Gilbert's population. A captive colony has been potoroo is yet to be developed. established by the recovery team to ensure the single known wild population isn’t lost Introduced diseases: *Phytophthora in the event of a catastrophic fire. In cinnamomi (see below for explanation) addition, stringent fire management plans threatens to destroy the type of that must be implemented and best fire Gilbert's potoroo is restricted to. This management practice must be exercised. introduced fungus can attack the truffle food sources that the potoroo relies on for survival. • Public awareness of the plight of Gilbert's potoroo needs to be raised. The Gilbert’s Fire: Wild fire has the potential to wipe out potoroo Action Group was formed in 2001, the entire wild population in one disastrous and members have become involved in event. The only known wild population is captive breeding and monitoring activities, restricted to an area of dense long-unburnt including a two week radio tracking vegetation that is potentially highly vulnerable program in February this year. The to wildfire. location of suitable for relocation is also a priority in the group’s activities. Population dispersal: Careful management is required to ensure that the existing potoroo • More research and surveying of potential populations do not become overly dispersed. habitat for new populations needs to be Scattered populations are more prone to undertaken. predation from introduced animals and they are also less likely to reproduce successfully. • Best practice management guidelines for the control and prevention of Phytophthora Lack of release sites: Lack of a potential cinnamomi need to be developed and site to release captivity bred potoroos into the implemented. wild (that is free from the threats mentioned above) is also a major impediment to the recovery and survival of this endangered For further information: mammal. Raquel Carter - WA TSN Coordinator tel: (08) 9387 6444 What is Phytophthora? email: [email protected] Phytophthora (pronounced FY-TOFF- THORA) species are soil and waterborne To help save the potoroo, join the: fungi that cause disease and often death to Gilbert’s Potoroo Action Group a wide variety of native plant species, exotic email Ron Dorn: [email protected] fruits and vegetables). Alan Danks - Department of Conservation & The fungus is native to South-East Asia and Gilbert’s Potoroo Recovery Team probably reached Western Australia around tel: (08) 9842 4500 1900 in orange trees brought in from email: [email protected] Indonesia. The first symptoms of infection are yellowing of the foliage, followed by CALM - Department of Conservation & Land dieback of the entire plant. Management tel: (08) 9405 5100 Phytophtora cinnamomi is considered a threat to over 1000 plant species worldwide. website: www.calm.wa.gov.au While it is still uncertain exactly how many species in Australia are threatened, it is expected to be in the hundreds.