Name: Mareema sheepdogs join project to return eastern barred bandicoot to wild near Skipton
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Mareema sheepdogs join project to return eastern barred bandicoot to wild near Skipton

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A flock of sheep, two giant dogs, and a bunch of bandicoots - an unusual solution to extinction?We’re sorry, this feature is currently unavailable. We’re working to restore it. Please try again later.DismisscloseAdvertisementBy Log in, or to save articles for later.Normal text sizeLarger text sizeVery large text sizeAdvertisementLast month a very special pack of animals was released near Skipton in Victoria’s south-west: a flock of sheep, two giant sheepdogs, and 20 tiny, shy marsupials.This unusual group is serving an important conservation purpose: it is hopefully the start of bringing the eastern barred bandicoot back from extinction in the wild.Keepers at Werribee Open Range Zoo have spent four years training Maremma sheepdogs, which look like giant golden retrievers with long white coats, to protect the bandicoots from predators, particularly foxes.The bandicoots were widespread in southwest Victoria before habitat destruction and predators introduced by European settlers led to their extinction in the wild.Science and health explained and analysed with a rigorous focus on the evidence. Examine is a weekly newsletter by science reporter Liam Mannix. Coming soon, .&nbsp;The small, gentle insect-eaters now survive only as captive breeding populations. Zoos Victoria is hoping its Maremma strategy will get them back into the wild.Maremma sheepdogs are used in Italy to protect sheep from predators. Their sunny disposition masks surprising strength, and the dogs have developed a reputation for fending off wolves, bears and human predators. They form strong protective bonds with the animals they care for.In 2006, a group of the dogs was imported to protect the little penguin population on Middle Island near Warrnambool that had been hunted down by foxes to just 10 individuals. There have been no fox attacks since, and penguin numbers have rebounded to .Advertisement“We’ve trained the dogs to leave the bandicoots alone and instead bonded the dogs to protect a flock of sheep,” Zoos Victoria guardian dog co-ordinator David Williams said.“The dogs are not bonded directly to the bandicoots as they are solitary and nocturnal – so they do not flock. However, sheep do flock, and in the Skipton reserve the sheep can eat grass, bandicoots can live in the grassland and all three species can share the same habitat.”The hope is that the small colony in Skipton can become self-sustaining. Further releases in other sites across Western Victoria are planned for next year.Our Morning Edition newsletter is a curated guide to the most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up&nbsp;.Log in, or to save articles for later. is The Age and The Sydney Morning Herald's national science reporter.Advertisement

A flock of sheep, two giant dogs, and a bunch of bandicoots - an unusual solution to extinction?We’re sorry, this feature is currently unavailable. We’re working to restore it. Please try again later.DismisscloseAdvertisementBy Log in, or to save articles for later.Normal text sizeLarger text sizeVery large text sizeAdvertisementLast month a very special pack of animals was released near Skipton in Victoria’s south-west: a flock of sheep, two giant sheepdogs, and 20 tiny, shy marsupials.This unusual group is serving an important conservation purpose: it is hopefully the start of bringing...

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Mareema sheepdogs join project to return eastern barred bandicoot to wild near Skipton

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