Gilbert’s potoroo was thought to be extinct until its rediscovery in 1994 as a tiny population surviving at Two Peoples Bay on the south coast of Western Australia. Early attempts at captive breeding failed to generate adequate numbers for translocation to new sites, but a wild-to-wild translocation of 10 individuals between 2005 and 2007 to nearby Bald Island resulted in establishment of a new colony. Four years later, 70 individuals were known to be alive on the 810-hectare island. Both populations were used in 2010 to create another insurance population of 25-30 animals in a 380-hectare area which was fenced to exclude introduced foxes and feral cats.
In 2015, a lightning storm following two years of unusually low rainfall caused a large bushfire that left only a handful of animals alive in the 10% of original habitat that was unburnt. Subsequent loss of individuals rendered the Two Peoples Bay functionally extinct.
The restoration of the Two Peoples Bay population is a high priority in the population management strategy for the species. Seven years after the fire, vegetation recovery was sufficient that a trial translocation to assess the suitability of the regenerating habitat was proposed and implemented. Early results show:
1) Despite some predation, survival of individuals has met the established success criteria
2) Individuals spent significantly more time feeding and resting in the burnt area than in unburnt habitat
3) Weight change of recaptured individuals has remained within the success criteria.
Continuation of the population restoration project is proposed.