Rock wallabies moved to Kalbarri National Park after sighting species believed to be extinct for 20 years

An endangered species of wallaby has been re-introduced to Kalbarri National Park following a translocation project from a Wheatbelt reserve. Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attraction’s parks and wildlife rangers recently transferred 44 black-flanked, or black-footed, rock wallabies from Nangeen Hill Nature Reserve to remote gorges in Kalbarri National Park. Rangers from DBCA and the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) went out at night to capture the black-flanked rock wallabies, which were flown to the Mid West in a private plane. DBCA regional leader for conservation Anthony Desmond said the species had flourished in the Wheatbelt and this was an opportunity to re-introduce them to the region. “We’re moving them here because their numbers have built up quite strongly there with good cat and fox protection on Nangeen Hill Nature Reserve and this is a chance to take some and put them back into Kalbarri again,” he said. The small and extremely agile species of wallaby darts among rocky outcrops and caves, making it challenging to find and track. Acting senior ranger and Nanda man Victor Mourambine said in 2015, rock climbers rediscovered a tiny population of the black-flanked rock wallabies at Kalbarri National Park, believed to be extinct from the area for 20 years. “Back in the old days, the old people used to talk about them being in the gorge,” he said. “Now to be a part of translocating, trapping them, keeping an eye on now, the second one, from a Nanda point of view and as a Nanda person I think it’s, really exciting.” To boost conservation, 72 rock-wallabies were released into the park between 2016 and 2017 and were monitored using radio collars. The collars were later removed and the population has since been monitored using remote cameras. DBCA said the species continues to be recorded at Kalbarri, including a recent sighting at the skywalk — a considerable distance from the original release sites.