Discover and read the best of Twitter Threads about #bilbies
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A fantastic moment in Taronga’s #bilby #conservation program was releasing #bilbies to SturtNP Western #NSW as part of the Wild Deserts Project. This large collaboration centres on #reintroduction of locally #extinct species. #SavingOurSpecies #ScienceWeek 
The #bilbies are a key part of the Wild Deserts project in #SturtNP and, as ecosystem engineers, are paving the way to #HabitatRestoration across thousands of hectares in #NSW. #SavingOurSpecies PC: Bobby-Jo Vial
The #reintroduction of #bilbies to the wild as part of the Wild Deserts project with UNSW, DPIE and the region’s Traditional Owners, the Wongkumara and Maljangata people, was a great step forward in restoring this western corner of NSW. PC: Bobby-Jo Vial
But this is only part of the #bilby story. How did #bilbies behave once they were released into the Taronga #sanctuary, and did this affect overall success? To find out, we attached GPS devices & radio-transmitters to bilbies to track their movements post-release. #ScienceWeek
GPS devices collected incredibly detailed data on nightly #bilby movements, and radio-transmitters allowed us to locate #bilbies underground during the day. This track shows how bilby “Charlie” used the sanctuary just after release
Tracking data revealed hidden #bilby behaviours, such as their little-known social lives! It turns out that #bilbies have quite complex #socialnetworks and that bilby sociality may help explain some of the story behind their post-release success.
Once #feralpests were removed and undetected on #cameratraps or other surveys in the Taronga Western Plains Zoo sanctuary for some time, it was time to cut the ribbon, and the apron strings, and release the #bilby founders. #ScienceWeek
Of course, all #bilbies underwent thorough health checks with the Taronga Western Plains Zoo veterinary professionals prior to release. #WildlifeHealth
“Allow me to reintroduce myself”… some #bilbies were super keen to get on with the program, digging out of the pre-release yard into the #sanctuary. Fortunately, their radio-transmitters allowed the team to locate, catch and return them, ready for the official release.
A flagship project for Taronga is the greater #bilby #conservation breeding program at Taronga Western Plains Zoo in #Dubbo, which is a collaboration with multiple partners, including the @NSWDPIE #SavingOurSpecies program. #ScienceWeek
While the ultimate aim is securing the species in the wild, producing animals fit #ForTheWild and a sanctuary fit to house them in, constitutes a significant amount of the work towards achieving this goal.
To prepare for the #bilby release, introduced predators (#foxes) and herbivores (#rabbits) were detected, removed, and excluded from the 110ha fenced #sanctuary. Detection involved #cameratraps, track plates, and thermal cameras
