Six female Pookila have been released across Wilsons Promontory National Park as part of a trial project to save the endangered rodent species.
Minister for Environment Ingrid Stitt recently announced the project had deployed the native animals in three locations within the park to attract local males and bolster population numbers in Gippsland.
“The release of endangered Pookila in Gippsland is just another action we are taking to secure the longevity of this precious species for years to come,” Ms Stitt said.
Parks Victoria Chief Scientist of Conservation and Climate Action Dr Mark Norman said boosting Pookila numbers is an exciting step in delivering the Prom Sanctuary project, which aims to establish Wilsons Promontory as a climate refuge for native species.
The mice were raised at Melbourne Zoo and Moonlit Sanctuary as part of the Victorian Pookila Conservation Breeding and Reintroduction Program, which has bred more than 60 pups since 2022.
“Zoos Victoria’s wildlife conservation work is directly improving the genetic health and resilience of these remaining Pookila populations,” Zoos Victoria chief executive Dr Jenny Gray said.
Moonlit Sanctuary Founder and Director Michael Johnson said their involvement in Pookila breeding exemplifies their commitment to safeguarding the planet’s remarkable biodiversity.
The Pookila is considered extinct in seven of 12 known Victorian locations, with surviving populations increasingly under threat from drought and predation by feral cats and foxes.
Further loss of genetic diversity to these fractured populations will also place the species at an even greater risk of extinction.
Pookila can be distinguished from the common house mouse by their bicoloured tail, large eyes, soft, thick fur, and a lack of ‘mousey’ odour.
Through the state government’s Nature Fund, $690,000 has been invested to protect the Pookila species, along with support from Zoos Victoria, Moonlit Sanctuary, the Australasian Zoo and Aquarium Association and members of the National Pookila Recovery Team.
