Jurien Bay islands’ dibbler population bouncing back, according to monitoring survey by conservationists

Conservation researchers have seen encouraging signs for dibbler populations on the islands off Jurien Bay as scientists and the government work to protect the endangered species. Scientists with the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions carried out surveying work on the Jurien Bay islands of Boullanger and Whitlock in October to assess the populations of the tiny marsupials. The team used traps to catch the mice-like creatures, baiting them with food such as peanut butter, oats and sardines, marking them, analysing them, microchipping them and sampling their DNA. Research scientist Dr Saul Cowen said the signs have been very encouraging. “The last couple of years, the number of dibblers has been increasing, and more juveniles are reaching adulthood,” he said. “That could be because we’ve had a couple of years of good rainfall, so there are more resources for them.” In October, 44 individual dibblers were found on Boullanger Island, the best results since 2009, and 34 were found on Whitlock Island, the best since 2017. Along with Escape Island, where 93 were caught in March, the islands are the only place on the west coast of WA where dibblers are established. Dr Cowen said he hoped their population stabilised, but dibblers still faced threats from storms and mice on the islands. “It’s a long-term project, so we’ll just have to keep going back regularly to see if the dibblers are doing OK or if they need intervention,” he said. “They really need some careful management here to make sure we don’t lose them.” The species was once thought to be extinct until they were rediscovered near Albany and later in Jurien Bay. Dibblers from the islands are being taken to Perth Zoo to take part in a captive breeding program, where they produce offspring which can be sent to Dirk Hartog Island in Shark Bay where conservationists are trying to re-establish the species. “Dirk Hartog could have a really important new population of dibblers, all of which would originate from the Jurien Bay population,” Dr Cowen said.