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On the verge of extinction only decades ago, critically endangered numbat numbers have been slowly increasing thanks to the efforts of dedicated conservationists. By Phil Tucak
The numbat, an elusive marsupial with distinctive banded body colours, masked thief-like facial markings and bushy tail, is the closest living relative to the extinct thylacine or Tasmanian tiger. The numbat is also the faunal emblem of the state of WA, yet most citizens living out west would never have seen one of these delightful creatures in the wild.
Research scientist Dr Tony Friend was recruited by the WA government in 1980 specifically to research numbat conservation strategies, and he has worked with the species his entire career.
“The numbat’s recovery is a success story that can potentially inspire further support to help this and other threatened species in Australia and beyond,” he says. “The reward for all of us involved in their conservation has been the increase in the overall population of the species and the steady growth in the number of populations across Australia.
“The numbat is an ecosystem engineer—its physical activities benefit other animals and plants that it co-occurs with. Its diet consists almost exclusively of subterranean termites. In its daily feeding activity, a numbat will dig hundreds of small pits in the substrate that intercept termite galleries, allowing the marsupial to extract the insects with its long, lubricated anteater style tongue.”
When Dr Friend first started working to conserve the numbat, only an estimated 300 individuals were surviving in the wild in colonies at Dryandra Woodland National Park and Tone-Perup Nature Reserve in the South West region of WA. The species had been a victim of predation by introduced predators such as foxes and cats, and loss of habitat due to land clearing.
“From 1982, experimental fox baiting in Dryandra resulted in a three-fold increase in numbats in the baited area compared with the unbaited area,” explains Dr Friend. “Baiting was soon applied over the whole of the main part of the reserve, resulting in a rapid growth of the numbat population there into the 1990s, to the extent that translocations of wild numbats to new sites were possible and a captive breeding colony was established at Perth Zoo.
“Many of these reintroductions to both large-baited sites and smaller fenced sites in WA, SA and NSW were successful, and at Tone-Perup numbat numbers also responded to fox control, becoming the largest population in existence today.”
Currently, there are about 3000 numbats in the wild across 10 populations including those managed in feral-predator free safe havens by Australian Wildlife Conservancy.
“We’re supporting around 500 numbats across our large-scale feral-predator free safe havens at Mt Gibson in WA, Scotia and Mallee Cliffs in NSW, and Yookamurra in SA,” says Tim Allard, Australian Wildlife Conservancy’s CEO. “We hope to expand this work by also reintroducing numbats to Newhaven Wildlife Sanctuary in the Northern Territory.
“These sanctuaries provide critical protection from key threats, especially cats and foxes, and enable us to manage habitat effectively. Genetic management is also an essential part of our work; by moving animals between populations, we maintain genetic diversity which leads to healthier individuals and a more resilient species.”
Research by Australian Wildlife Conservancy is helping to answer critical questions about the numbat such as how climate change will affect the species. “This is important because numbats are diurnal and typically active within a temperature range of 16 to 32°C. We’re studying whether numbats can adapt their foraging behaviour in response to increasing temperatures and more frequent heatwaves,” says Allard.
The numbat’s recovery is a success story that can potentially inspire further support to help this and other threatened species in Australia and beyond.
Dr Tony Friend
“This research will inform our current management as well as influence future sanctuary site selection to ensure we’re investing in resilient landscapes.”
While reliable rainfall helps numbats produce healthy young, the species used to occur in arid environments, prior to the arrival of cats and foxes in central Australia.
“Numbats thrive in areas of eucalypt forest and woodland with a scattered to reasonably dense shrub layer, where hollow logs and trees are common, termites are abundant and where feral cats and foxes are controlled or excluded,” explains Dr Friend.
“Numbats eat up to 20,000 termites every day from which they also gain their moisture requirements. And because termites have access to groundwater, when groundwater levels fall during dry times, the termites can push their water-collecting burrows deeper and maintain water supplies to their nests. This means that termite-eaters like the numbat have access to water even during times of drought, a feature which will help protect numbats in drying climates.”
Dr Friend is founding board member of Project Numbat, a community group that raises community awareness of the species and supports conservation efforts via funding of radio-collar and camera trap monitoring, and genetic studies of numbat populations.
“People often ask how they can help numbats. I’d encourage everyone to join Project Numbat and support our work. Every three months our volunteers check our network of remote camera traps which monitor for numbats,” says Dr Friend.
“And for cat owners, ensure pet cats are sterilised and kept inside or only outside on a lead or in a catio.”
He adds, “Fortunately many members of the farming communities adjacent to numbat habitat deeply appreciate the presence of numbats and other wildlife near their homes and willingly join efforts to carry out predator control activities that add protection to native species in these reserves.”
Allard agrees that it’s this commitment by passionate individuals that will ensure the survival of the species.
“The numbat is particularly significant because it represents a unique evolutionary lineage; it’s the last surviving member of its family. Once it’s gone, it’s gone forever. It’s incredibly rewarding to witness their return to landscapes where they were once extinct. Seeing numbats darting through the undergrowth brings real joy and a sense of hope.”
Dr Phil Tucak the Wildlife Outreach Vet was awarded the Wayne Lawler Nature Conservation Photography Grant 2025 by Wildlife Queensland to complete this article and accompanying photography. Tucak acknowledges the support of Tim Allard, Tony Friend, Rob Hemsworth, Stella Frisina, Wenda Shurety, Jimmy Lamb, Joanna Glynn and Evangeline Tucak.
Useful links
View Tucak’s video of a numbat in the wild here.
Australian Wildlife Conservancy
