Reintroduction and establishment of the western barred bandicoot Perameles bougainville (Marsupialia: Peramelidae) at Shark Bay, Western Australia

Published source details Richards J.D. & Short J. (2003) Reintroduction and establishment of the western barred bandicoot Perameles bougainville (Marsupialia: Peramelidae) at Shark Bay, Western Australia. Biological Conservation, 109, 181-195.
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This study is summarised as evidence for the following.

	Action	Category
	Release translocated/captive-bred mammals in areas with invasive/problematic species eradication/control Action Link

Release translocated/captive-bred mammals in areas with invasive/problematic species eradication/control

A study in 1995–1999 on an arid peninsula in Western Australia, Australia (Richards & Short 2003) found that following control of invasive species, a translocated population of western barred bandicoots Perameles bougainville persisted and increased in numbers over four years. Six out of 14 translocated western barred bandicoots (43%) survived over one month after release into a predator-free enclosure. From 51 bandicoots then released from this enclosure, the population increased to an estimated 130 individuals by two years after releases commenced. In 1995–1996, fourteen bandicoots were trapped in Dorre Island and released into a 17-ha enclosure. Invasive predators were unable to enter the enclosure and European rabbits Oryctolagus cuniculus and Gould's monitors Varanus gouldii were controlled by trapping. In 1997 and 1999, bandicoots were released from this enclosure into the larger study area, a 12-km²mainland peninsula. This was fenced to exclude alien predators, though was occasionally accessed by foxes Vulpes vulpes and cats Felis cattus. Bandicoots were monitored by radio-tracking within the predator-free enclosure. Following release, they were live-trapped at three-month intervals, over 2–4 nights, on a 50-m grid.

(Summarised by: Ricardo Rocha)