Officials announce success of plan to protect creature after 200-year decline: 'This is the start'

Australia's conservation efforts on Kangaroo Island have been successful, restoring endangered animal populations after devastating bushfires. 

A predator-proof fence, built and managed by the Australian Wildlife Conservatory, is helping keep out feral cats that pose a threat to native animals. 

As ABC News reported, the conservatory built a cat-proof fence in the Western River Refuge five years ago. 

Without the threats of cats, many native species have been able to thrive again. For example, the population of one endangered marsupial, the Kangaroo Island dunnart, has increased by 90% to 100%. 

In 2020, devastating fires destroyed many animals' habitats, leaving them struggling to survive. Afterwards, feral cats moved into the area and hunted everything they could find. 

But since the fence was built, ecologists have seen very encouraging results within the wildlife refuge. Additionally, western whipbirds have shown population increases of about 100% after their numbers were driven low by predation and habitat loss. 

This news from Australia is encouraging because it shows the efficacy of conservation efforts in restoring vulnerable species. 

Similar projects in other regions have been successful in protecting wildlife habitats, restoring nearly extinct species, and reintroducing species into the wild.

In Australia, the project's success also highlighted how cultural knowledge impacts long-term restoration projects and serves as a vital voice in collaborative plans. 

An Aboriginal Australian elder, Mark Koolmatrie, stressed the importance of working with native peoples, who are the original custodians of the land. 

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He said that combining traditional land management methods with new strategies can help return the environment to its natural state. 

"This is the start, not the finish," Koolmatrie stated.

People interested in helping restore native species at home can take local action by volunteering or donating to conservation groups in their area. 

"Restoring habitats and protecting vulnerable species is so important, glad to see this program has been a big success," one Reddit user commented on a post about the news.

"Keep on working with the feral cat program. That is a great starting point," a Facebook user encouraged.

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