Move over, koalas and quokkas. Australia has a new cute marsupial in town.
Meet the eastern bettong. If the name doesn’t sound familiar, that’s because this adorable species was extinct in the Australian mainland for quite some time. Overhunting from farmers and introduced predators, such as cats and foxes, eradicated them in Canberra around the early 20th century.
Fortunately, populations in Tasmania survived. And now for the past four years, they’re being reintroduced to their former habitats in the mainland.
Kate Grarock, an ecologist at the Mulligan’s Flat sanctuary in Canberra, is looking to raise awareness about the species to ensure their survival.
“No-one’s heard of a bettong, except for people who’ve been to Tasmania, or lived in Tasmania,” Grarock told Mashable Australia. “I studied environmental science, and I hadn’t even heard of one. It’s a representation of the sad state of affairs for these little bettongs. They’re really cool little animals.”
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