Baby numbats have been observed at two wildlife sanctuaries in south-western New South Wales, offering hope for one of Australia's rarest marsupials. Video captured by the Australian Wildlife Conservancy (AWC) shows juveniles exploring outside their den at Mallee Cliffs National Park.
Five numbat joeys, including quadruplet siblings, were seen at Mallee Cliffs, and two more at Scotia Wildlife Sanctuary. The AWC works with state national parks staff at both sites on projects reintroducing the species in predator-free areas.
Brad Leue, the videographer who captured the footage, said he watched the animals exploring outside the family den, which has an opening about the size of a coffee cup. 'I was lucky enough to observe them for a couple of days and get an idea of their routine, which involved sharing a den with mum overnight, venturing out around 8am, and playing within 50 metres of their home while mum hunts for termites,' Leue said.
Rachel Ladd, a wildlife ecologist with AWC, said babies were always a special find, 'particularly for a species as difficult to spot in the wild as the numbat'. 'Seeing seven young numbats lets us know that the population is breeding in favourable environmental conditions and becoming more established,' she added.
Numbats are listed as endangered under national laws. Unlike other Australian marsupials, they are active during the day and feed exclusively on termites. Once found across much of arid and semi-arid Australia, they had disappeared from most places except for isolated parts of south-west Western Australia by the 1970s due to predation by feral animals and habitat destruction. They are listed as extinct in NSW, but reintroduction projects aim to re-establish populations.
The AWC said the five juveniles at Mallee Cliffs are believed to be the great-great-grandchildren of a cohort reintroduced in 2020. Michael Daddow, an AWC land management officer, said, 'It felt surreal seeing four siblings in the one location. They were just cruising around, falling asleep and playing with each other.' The two babies at Scotia sanctuary were observed running around logs, giving conservation workers optimism that the population is recovering after a decline triggered by the 2018-19 drought.
