Nurturing Northern hairy-nosed wombats project aims to prevent species extinction
NQ Dry Tropics leads the Nurturing Northern hairy-nosed wombat project in central Queensland aimed at preventing the extinction of the critically endangered species.
To prevent its extinction, conservationists must work with the small population remaining — about 400 animals contained within the Epping Forest National Park (Scientific) near Clermont.
There are also translocated starter populations near St George at the Richard Underwood Nature Refuge (18), and, since May 2024, 36 animals in the Powrunna State Forest.
The Northern hairy-nosed wombat (Lasiorhinus krefftii), weighing about 32-40kg when fully grown, is the largest herbivorous burrowing mammal in the world.
Fossils indicate that before European settlement the Northern hairy-nosed wombat, or “begie” to Traditional Owners, the Jangga, was prevalent in all three eastern mainland states.
Competition for pasture with introduced grazing animals as well as the existing macropods was too much for the species and by 1982, only the Epping Forest population was left.
It is closely related to the Southern hairy-nosed wombat (Lasiorhinus latifrons) — the northern version having a bigger, broader nose than its southern cousin.
The hairy-nosed wombats have silkier fur, longer ears and broader hairier noses than the common or bare-nosed wombat (Vombatus ursinus).
NQ Dry Tropics Senior Biodiversity Officer Jaymie Rains will manage the project, co-ordinating Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) rangers, Traditional Owners as well as fencing and drilling contractors.
The Epping Forest population is protected by a boundary fence, but it needs upgrading to ensure predators are completely excluded and the wombats remain within the fence where they are protected.
Water, for drinking, to grow grass to feed the wombats, and, crucially to control and fight fires is not plentiful, so this project aims to drill for water and establish a bore and infrastructure to distribute it.
The project team will work with Jangga and Wangan-Jagalingou communities to ensure traditional knowledge is incorporated into wombat management.
Neighbouring landholders will also be encouraged to participate in improved natural resource management efforts.
The habitat a Northern hairy-nosed wombat needs would include:
- flood-free country with soil suitable for burrowing (sandy loams to clay loams) to a depth of at least 3m;
- year-round diverse grass cover in an open woodland; and
- suitable climate such as that typified within the presumed pre-European range.
QPWS hopes to establish at least four independent Northern hairy-nosed wombat populations to reduce the risk of losing the last of the species to a single natural disaster such as fire, flood, disease or significant predation.
