COSMOS MAGAZINE
Credit: Helenna Mihailou/Australian Wildlife Conservancy.
Bilbies are booming! Populations of Australia's greater bilby have surged in predator-proof sanctuaries across four states, with an estimated 3,330 individuals now thriving.
Credit: Mitchell Roberts / Save the Bilby Fund
Safe havens are working. Four new populations have been reintroduced in the past decade — and they're still expanding into available habitat.
Credit: Mitchell Roberts / Save the Bilby Fund
Tough but vulnerable. Once found across most of Australia, bilbies now survive in just a fraction of their former range, under constant threat from feral predators and habitat loss.
Credit: Jessica Holding/Australian Wildlife Conservancy
Built for bounce-backs. Though some groups declined due to drought, bilbies are quick breeders and bounce back fast when conditions improve.
Credit: David Sargent / Save the Bilby Fund
Future-proofing bilbies. Researchers are tracking how they cope with rising heat and restoring populations across their range to protect this iconic species from climate extremes.