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Endangered wallabies released back into APY Lands

Five black-footed rock-wallabies were released into a predator-proof enclosure in the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands this Tuesday, 29 March, after being raised in captivity as part of a program to help protect the species.

Known as Warru by Anangu (Traditional Owners of the APY Lands), the species is one of the state's most endangered animals.

The Warru recovery program is a partnership between Anangu, APY Land Management, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), the Alinytjara Wilurara Natural Resources Management Board, the Australian Government's Working on Country program, Conservation Ark/ZoosSA, Ecological Horizons Pty Ltd and the University of Adelaide.

DENR Chief Executive Allan Holmes, who attended the release of the wallabies, said it was the first time captive Warru had been returned to their natural habitat since the recovery program began in 2007.

"Warru were once common across the APY Lands, but they make easy prey for foxes and cats, and the total population is now estimated to be around 150 animals, restricted to only two areas of the APY Lands," he said.

"The Warru Recovery Program was established to increase the distribution and abundance of Warru in South Australia, but also to provide genuine training and employment opportunities for Anangu.

"The program employs ten permanent Warru Rangers, is overseen by seven employed senior Traditional Owners, and uses a pool of more than 20 casual Anangu Warru Rangers.
"Together, Warru Rangers and scientists have undertaken surveys to find remaining Warru colonies in the APY Lands, conducted an ongoing trapping program to determine how many Warru occur in the remaining colonies, and regularly undertake predator control."

Zoos SA Manager of Conservation Programs Dr Wendy Foster said the captive breeding population was established in 2007 in collaboration with ZoosSA, by transferring Warru young from the APY Lands to the pouches of yellow-footed rock-wallaby foster mothers at Monarto Zoo.

"The foster mothers raised the young Warru, and there are now 25 Warru in the captive breeding population," she said.

"Last year the recovery team enclosed a large rock outcrop of 100 hectares in the APY Lands with a predator-proof "pintji" (Pitjantjatjara word for fence).

"The pintji was built by Warru rangers from the APY Lands, with the full support of Traditional Owners."

Taking part in the release of the Warru during her two-day visit to the APY lands this week, Aboriginal Affairs Minister Grace Portolesi said the program highlighted a highly valuable partnership between Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal people working together to retain the survival of a species.

"This program recognises the dual importance of the environmental and cultural dimensions of conserving the Warru," she said.

"In bringing together western science with Anangu traditional knowledge of the Warru and its habitat, the partnership, very importantly, recognises Anangu culture and priorities.
"I am privileged and honoured to be part of this important event to witness the benefits of Anangu and non-Aboriginal people working together to support the critical return of this rock-wallaby to the landscape."

Warru Ranger Eric Abbott from APY Land Management said the Warru released into the pintji this week would have a safe place to adjust to the local food sources and environment.

"The plan is for the animals to breed safely inside the pintji and then later be released elsewhere in the APY Lands, so they can establish new wild populations," he said.
"The recovery program has been so successful that Anangu involved in the project are developing new Tjukurpa, or dreaming stories, for the Warru that have been raised in captivity and will return."

More Warru will be released into the pintji later this year.