Less than 3,000 Pookila mice are believed to be left in the wild in Victoria, but a new captive breeding program hopes to change the fortunes of endangered rodents.
Key points:
- Pookila mouse habitat has been reduced to only five sites in Gippsland
- A captive breeding program is mating animals to ensure the best genetics
- Cats and foxes, as well as land clearing, threaten endangered species
Zoos Victoria native rodent biologist Phoebe Burns said the mouse had become extinct in seven of the 12 places where the species is known to live in Victoria.
“The Pookila has suffered a massive decline here in Victoria … our research shows that they only persist in five of these places. [in Gippsland]”Dr. Burns said.
“The 2019 drought in Gippsland devastated them, so we think there are less than 3,000 animals left in the wild right now, which is pretty bad.
“They used to be as far as Anglesea and south-east Melbourne, but the only places left now are in [Wilsons Promontory] and around Loch Sport “.
Dr. Burns said the Pookila mouse played an important environmental role in spreading fungal seeds and spores and keeping the soil healthy.
“They are one of 67 different native species of mice and rats we have in Australia, but 15 of those species are already extinct,” he said.
“So it’s very important to try to take care of the ones we have left as the Pookila.”
Land clearing, fire, and introduced predators, such as foxes and cats, have had an impact on the number of the species.
The little creature is listed as endangered in both Victoria and Tasmania and vulnerable in Queensland and the ACT.
Victoria Zoos is working with Moonlit Sanctuary, Victoria Parks and other organizations to save the species.
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Dr. Burns and the team recently collected 22 Pookila mice from nature for the captive breeding program at the Melbourne Zoo.
“We are doing a lot of work to protect their habitat in the wild, but we have had to move on to the next stage, which is captive breeding,” he said.
“We’ve taken individuals from nature and are pairing them with compatible mates, genetically diverse matings.”
Eventually, the animals will be released in places to improve the genetic makeup of the population and in places where threats such as cats can be managed.
Waverly, a female Pookila mouse, is part of the captive breeding program. (Provided by: Victoria Zoos)
The team also hopes to establish an insurance population at Cranbourne Botanic Gardens.
“Where we can keep them free but in an area where there are no cats,” he said.
“Then we can continue to raise them in captivity so that we can produce genetically healthy animals to go back to nature.”
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Posted 16 hours, 16 hours ago, Tuesday, June 21, 2022 at 3:01 AM, updated 14 hours ago, 14 hours ago, Tuesday, June 21, 2022 at 5:52 AM