Optimism abounds with bilby population stable in Pilliga

Bilby population numbers continue to be stable in the Pilliga State Conservation Area, according to data from Australian Wildlife Conservancy’s annual census.

The organisation released its update last week, ahead of Easter, showing an optimistic future for what is often described as Australia’s Easter bilby.

There are now an estimated 5330 bilbies protected within six largescale feral predator-free areas, an increase of 2000 on last year (3330) and four times the population recorded in 2021 (1230).

Contributing to this year’s increase is the population in the Pilliga area, where bilbies have gradually distributed across the entire 5800 hectare feral predator-free area and are being detected on 100 per cent of motion sensor cameras.

Tim Allard, AWC chief executive officer, said the results mark early momentum in AWC’s long-standing efforts to protect the species, underscoring the power of feral predator-free landscapes.

“When freed from the relentless predation pressures of feral cats and foxes, Australia’s wildlife can naturally rebuild their populations, often far more rapidly and robustly than expected,” said Tim.

“The bilby population growth at AWC sanctuaries over the last five years show the remarkable resilience that emerges once key threats are finally removed.”

Looking ahead, Dr Henderson said the outlook for the species remains promising.

“We expect the population to continue increasing over the next three-to-six years,” he said.

“However the boom-and-bust nature of the desert means numbers may fluctuate with changing conditions, particularly if we’re heading into drier years.

Even so, the resilience we’re seeing now gives us real confidence in the long-term future of the species.

“The bilby’s comeback will be one of Australia’s great conservation success stories.

“Seeing populations stabilise, expand, and in some cases boom, gives us real hope. It shows that with the right protection and partnerships, we can turn the tide for threatened wildlife across the country.”