Aussie tourists to see 'extinct' animals behind national park's 25km predator-free fence
Tourists will once again be able to see animals that became extinct in an Australian national park. You could argue it's a bit like Jurassic Park, except the creatures are much smaller.
The plan is to reintroduce native species that are locally extinct but survived in small numbers elsewhere, giving them a second chance. This time around, they'll be protected by a 25km fence that's designed to keep invasive predators out.
The 2,000-hectare Nungatta feral predator-free area in the South-East Forest National Park has been completed, but for now, curious walkers can only walk around the edge. By the end of 2025, they'll be able to venture inside.
The one impediment is that National Parks and Wildlife Service first has to develop and install gates that will let walkers in, while keeping predators outside. Because a single cat or fox could decimate a population of rare animals.
You'll need to look hard if you want to spot any of the reintroduced creatures, because most will be small. A population of critically endangered smoky mice was released as part of a trial commencing in September 2024, and at least one juvenile has been born since then.
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On Thursday, the state government officially opened the predator-free zone. NSW Environment Minister Penny Sharpe said it will soon be home to more threatened species. They will likely include the long-footed potoroo, eastern bettong, eastern quoll and New Holland mouse.
'The opening of Nungatta demonstrates the Minns Labor Government's commitment to protecting and restoring our environment, including native animals and their habitats,' she said.
The exterior of the fence will be patrolled at least three times a week. Other animals already surviving in the sanctuary include eastern pygmy-possums, yellow-bellied gliders and powerful owls.
Sadly, small marsupials are struggling to survive on mainland Australia, with feral cats alone killing around 1.5 billion native animals a year. Habitat destruction and climate change also remain key threats.
In NSW, around 50 per cent of threatened species in the state are on track to be wiped out in a century, according to a government report.
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