Aussie Ark Conservation

WIRES has partnered with Aussie Ark to support threatened wildlife and assist with the long-term species conservation of a significant number of native species at risk of extinction. As part of WIRES mission to preserve Australian wildlife, WIRES is providing Aussie Ark over 1 million dollars to support 15 critical species recovery programs and 3 bushfire recovery and habitat projects over 3 years.

Eastern Quoll Joey at Aussie Ark © WIRES

Aussie Ark is an independent initiative committed to the conservation of Australia’s most imperilled species. Based in the NSW Barrington Tops, Aussie Ark’s vision is to establish robust insurance populations for a wide range of threatened native mammal species. The Aussie Ark conservation projects aligns with WIRES plans to support the long-term recovery of threatened native species in the aftermath of recent emergency events.

“The rate of decline of so many native animal species is nothing short of alarming,” says WIRES CEO Leanne Taylor. “We are so grateful that organisations such as Aussie Ark are committed to making a difference. Their efforts in protecting Australia’s rich fauna diversity will help ensure our unique native wildlife is sustained for future generations.”

Australia has the highest rate of mammal extinction rate in the world – one in three mammal extinctions in the last 400 years has occurred in Australia. An additional 21% are predicted to be extinct at a rate of one to two species per decade without swift conservation action.

WIRES funding will be distributed across the following species recovery and habitat programs:

Updated August 2022

1. Koala – species status vulnerable - projects include bio mapping, disease prevention mapping, habitat mapping and monitoring 
2. Tasmanian Devil - species status endangered - projects include - wild release and post release monitoring and management
3. Spotted-tail Quoll – species status near threatened - assist with costs of the construction of enclosures and population monitoring 
4. Brushed-tailed rock wallaby - species status vulnerable - assist with costs of the construction of enclosures and population monitoring
5. Rufous bettong - species status vulnerable - projects include - wild release and post release monitoring and management
6. Broad toothed rat - species status endangered - projects include – breeding programs, sanctuary reintroduction and wild release 
7. Eastern quoll - species status endangered - projects include - wild release and post release monitoring and management
8. Hunter River turtle - species status endangered - projects include wild population conservation initiatives
9. Greater glider - species status vulnerable - projects includes – population surveys and installation of next boxes
10. Hastings River mouse - species status vulnerable - projects include – breeding programs, population research and wild release 
11. Long-nosed potoroo - species status near threatened - projects include – breeding programs, sanctuary reintroduction and wild release 
12. Manning River turtle - species status endangered - projects include wild population conservation initiatives
13. Davis Tree Frog - species status vulnerable - projects include – establish breeding facility and research
14. Parma wallaby - species status vulnerable - projects include – expand breeding facility and research
15. Littlejohn's Tree Frog - species status vulnerable - projects include – construction of a breeding facility and establishing an insurance population

Bushfire Recovery and Habitat Programmes

• Rewilding – this involves all the elements of supporting successful reintroduction of selected species into managed fenced sanctuaries.
• Fire Management – proactive fire management to promote regrowth and large-scale protection for 6,000 hectares of critical habitat.
• Bio mapping – understand and determine biodiversity of sanctuaries

Project Updates

WIRES first visit to the Ark

Official Opening of the Barrington Wildlife Sanctuary