Bold and the bandicoot – a native species returns

Three endangered Southern Brown Bandicoots have been sighted in the Mount Bold Reservoir Reserve for the first time since the 2021 Cherry Gardens bushfire burnt through 1905 hectares of the area.

SA Water Land and Fire Management Officer Damian Stam was amazed when he recently saw the long nosed native creatures foraging for food.

“They are elusive animals and due to habitat loss and predation from foxes and cats, bandicoots are an endangered species, so I was thrilled to see them within one of our sites,” Damian said.

“After the bushfire a couple of years ago, together with the Department for Environment and Water, we installed motion detection cameras within Mount Bold to observe animals returning to the area. This reservoir reserve is usually home to many native species including birds, reptiles and mammals, some of which are regionally significant.

“However, bandicoots haven’t been seen on the cameras within the fire damaged area and we feared the fire had significantly impacted local populations.”

The Cherry Gardens bushfire not only resulted in the loss of animal life, but also had an extensive impact on habitat.

“After the fire, there was a lot of concern around how much of the bandicoot’s natural habitat had been destroyed and whether they’d able to find refuge in the unburnt vegetation,” Damian said.

“Native animals also face a new set of challenges once a fire has passed, as food resources will often be scarce, and the barren landscape provides no coverage to shelter from predators.

“Thankfully, the vegetation around Mount Bold is recovering with new buds sprouting on trees and plants springing to life on the previously burnt ground, and we have noticed other wildlife, including insects, birds and echidnas, slowly returning to the area.

“SA Water works in conjunction with the Department for Environment and Water to undertake fire management and a prescribed burn program in the Mount Bold reserve.

“These efforts decrease the risk of fire to the community and reduces the intensity of future bushfires, helping to provide areas of unburnt vegetation as refuge for animals and birds.”

Southern Brown Bandicoots shelter in thick shrub and turn over the soil by digging for their food, helping with nutrient cycling and plant growth.

These diggings can improve soil quality and the holes can trap seeds and help native plants to germinate, making bandicoots a crucial part of the ecological recovery process.