For one of the ecologists working on FAME's Sandhill Dunnart project, that moment came just after sunrise on a cool May morning. Peering into a pitfall trap nestled amongst the spinifex, she saw something she'd never encountered before in the wild: a Sandhill Dunnart.
Overcome with emotion, she realised she was looking at one of Australia's rarest marsupials. It was a moment years in the making, and one she won't soon forget.
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Ecologists working across South Australia's Gawler Ranges National Park and Pinkawillinie Conservation Park recently captured three healthy adult Sandhill Dunnarts during targeted field surveys. For a species that is naturally scarce and incredibly difficult to find, every confirmed sighting is a significant milestone.
The Sandhill Dunnart (Sminthopsis psammophila) spends its life hidden amongst spinifex grass and sandy dunes. Their secretive nature and naturally low numbers mean many experienced ecologists can spend years working in suitable habitat without ever seeing one. Earlier this year, motion-activated cameras detected the species at just four locations, guiding the team to undertake intensive pitfall trapping surveys in May. Their efforts were rewarded with the capture of three healthy adults, two females and one male, all carefully assessed before being released exactly where they were found. Even more encouraging, the captures occurred around eight kilometres from the nearest historical record for the species, improving our understanding of where these elusive marsupials continue to survive.
Perhaps just as exciting was what these surveys revealed about the broader landscape. Every Sandhill Dunnart was found in areas where both cats and foxes are being managed as part of the Three Safer Havens program, adding to the growing evidence that integrated predator control is creating safer habitat for one of Australia's rarest mammals.
But that's the beauty of conservation.
When we save one species, we often help many others.
During the same surveys, the team also recorded Southern Ningaui, Little Long-tailed Dunnarts, Mitchell's Hopping Mice and several native reptile species, highlighting the broader biodiversity benefits of restoring and protecting these landscapes. By reducing the impacts of feral predators, we're not only giving Sandhill Dunnarts a better chance of survival, we're helping entire native communities thrive.
The work doesn't stop here. Monitoring cameras have now been moved to new areas within Pinkawillinie Conservation Park, where they'll continue searching for additional Sandhill Dunnart populations. Every new detection helps build a clearer picture of the species' distribution and guides future conservation efforts.
For more on the project, visit the project page
Photos above (top to bottom):
One of three Sandhill Dunnarts captured in a pitfall trap (FAME)
Processing and recording the Dunnart (Niamh Douglas)
Releasing the Dunnart back into its habitat (Niamh Douglas)
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