AWS would like share a paper published in Australian Zoologist on 28 December 2024, which highlights the urgent need for action to conserve the Parma Wallaby (Notamacropus parma).
The paper examines the history and relocation efforts of Parma Wallaby populations, alongside the threats they face from habitat loss and predation. Our analysis concludes that establishing additional fox-free safe havens and fostering stronger collaboration between government bodies and landowners are critical steps for ensuring the survival of this vulnerable species.
George Wilson’s connection with Parma Wallabies dates back to the early 1970s when he assisted Peter and Ann Pigott in establishing a colony at Yengo, Mount Wilson. Recently, he has been involved in discussions about the dispersal of this colony. While the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service is developing a secure enclosure at Ngambaa Nature Reserve, and other wallabies are destined for Barrington Tops and Bannockburn, more safe havens are essential to bolster population numbers and distribution.
Predator-proof fencing is costly to construct and maintain, especially when built to high specifications. Government agencies and NGOs alone cannot meet this challenge at scale. Greater collaboration is needed, involving zoos, nature reserves, commercial investors, and private landholders, to develop cost-effective solutions for creating enclosures.
Encouragingly, both the NSW Environment Minister Penny Sharpe and Federal Environment Minister Tania Plibersek have visited Yengo and been impressed by the Pigott family’s 50-year dedication to Parma Wallaby conservation. They are well-placed to champion innovative solutions that cut through the multi-agency processes currently limiting progress. To combat threats like predation, disease, and habitat destruction, governments must actively support the creation of sanctuaries rather than inadvertently inhibiting them.
The full paper is available via Australian Zoologist: https://doi.org/10.7882/AZ.2024.046.
Samaa Kalsia, Melanie Edwards and George hope the paper inspires further dialogue and collaboration to protect the Parma Wallaby. Your thoughts and support would be greatly appreciated as we work toward securing their future.
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