Simon Corbell has announced the release of bettongs at Mulligans’ Flat:
“It is exciting to see that Canberra is the new home on the mainland for this rare species who was last seen in the 1920?s,” Mr Corbell said.
“The bettongs were plentiful in the Canberra district before 1906 but quickly became extinct all over the mainland by the 1920s due to predation by foxes and cats, and land clearing for cropping and grazing.
“The return of the Eastern Bettong to the ACT is part of a larger grassy woodlands restoration project being carried out in Mulligans Flat and Goorooyarroo Nature Reserves – a collaboration between the ACT Government, the CSIRO, and led by Dr Adrian Manning of the ANU?s Fenner School.
“The aim of the restoration project is to unlock the secrets around how these endangered communities function and to provide land managers and the wider community with the tools to improve and protect these important natural places.”
“The arrival of the Eastern Bettong from Tasmania is a critical first step in returning a locally extinct species to
our grassy woodlands. It is thought that Eastern Bettongs serve as “ecosystem engineers? in woodlands, turning over the soil, and improving the penetration of water and nutrients.”
Tidbinbilla is also going to play host to Bettong breeding.
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![[Photo Courtesy Wikipedia]](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bettongia_gaimardi.jpg){kind=link}