Australian Wallaby Was Successfully Brought Back From The Verge Of Extinction

First Posted: Dec 05, 2016 02:46 AM EST
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Researchers successfully brought back the Australian wallaby from the verge of extinction.

It was known before that the black-flanked rock-wallaby to be extinct for decades. Thankfully, a group of rock climbers in Western Australia found a pair of the marsupials together with their young in 2015. After the news of the wallabies has been found, an immediate action was conducted by the conservationists to save the species, as per Business Standard.

The World Wildlife Foundation or the WWF provided the Australian scientists with a funding to breed the black-flanked rock-wallaby. They were able to breed 23 wallabies and released them back into WA's Kalbarri National Park.

The nature conservation leader at the Department of Parks and Wildlife Anthony Desmond mentioned that the animals react to have grasped well into their new habitat with all but one surviving. "So to have 22 animals that we suspect are still alive -- and we definitely know 10 of them are still alive -- that's a good outcome after this time period."

To monitor the wallabies, the team of researchers set up a wide network of motion-sensing cameras in the gorge to capture the rare footage of the reluctant wallabies. Desmond added that "To be able to go through a camera and see a rock wallaby and see a joey coming out of a pouch, that's a real reward."

It was previously known that the gorges in the Kalbarri National Park were once home to the vast population of the wallabies in the world. Desmond said that "I'd be hoping in the next five years, it wouldn't be unusual for people to see a rock wallaby. I'd expect people would be able to see them just as they're going out having a look at the park."

The son of Anthony, who is also a fellow member of the research team, Corin Desmond, said he hoped that the public would one day be able to view the wallabies as he has seen it. He added that "I really hope that they get back to the original numbers and that people can just come down and see a rock wallaby hanging around at the bottom of a lookout," according to ABC.

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