Western Australia marked 30 years of its Western Shield conservation program on National Threatened Species Day. The program protects native animals from introduced predators such as foxes and feral cats.
One of its clearest successes is the numbat. The small striped marsupial was once down to a few hundred animals, but its population recovery helped move it from Endangered to Near Threatened on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List.
Western Shield also works to protect northern quolls, greater bilbies, quokkas, western swamp tortoises, western ground parrots, and other native species. Over the past year, its predator-management area grew from 3.8 million hectares to 4.7 million hectares.
The work combines science, habitat care, monitoring, and local partnerships. Schools and community groups also learn how protecting native animals helps them survive in the wild.
