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Bandicoots are BACK on Australian island

Eastern barred bandicoot on grass Getty Images

Over 30 years ago the eastern barred bandicoot was declared extinct in the wild in mainland Australia.

These small creatures are marsupials - the same as koalas and kangaroos - and were struggling to survive because of habitat destruction and foxes.

Now, thanks to the efforts of conservationists, 100 of the little creatures have been released on Phillip Island.

But, there's something extra special about these bandicoots. They have been carefully bred to be better equipped for survival. But how?

A man releases a bandicoot from brown cardboard box. He wears a headtorch.Getty Images

Scientists from the Odonata Foundation - an Australian conservation charity - have made these bandicoots by breeding the population from mainland Australia with bandicoots from Tasmania, an island off the south coast.

By expanding the gene pool, the population is more diverse, which means the mammal has a greater chance of survival.

The conservationists are also planning to release more of the eastern barred bandicoots in different areas too.

By creating populations in different places, the team hopes they'll reduce the risk of extinction from local threats and also increase the species' resilience to climate change.

What are eastern barred bandicoots?

Eastern barred bandicootGetty Images

  • Eastern barred bandicoots are nocturnal animals - which means they sleep during the day and are awake at night.

  • They are known as 'ecosystem engineers', because they forage for insects by digging lots of holes in the ground, they play an important role in maintaining the soil structure of their habitats.

  • Eastern barred bandicoots live between 2-3 years and can grow up to 40cm.