Western barred bandicoot

Perameles bougainville

Blamed on foxes

IUCN status: Vulnerable

EPBC Predator Threat Rating: Moderate

IUCN claim: “The current major threats to the natural subpopulations of the species include: the accidental introduction of predators (introduced cats and foxes)”

Studies in support

Bandicoots were reintroduced successfully into a fenced reserve which excluded foxes (Richards & Short 2003). Richards (2012) argued that the incursion of foxes into a fenced reserve led to population declines, but no data was provided. Bandicoots were last confirmed in the Nullarbor, Rawlinna, and northwest SA 18-33, 14-19, and 11-21 years after foxes arrived, respectively (Wallach et al.202X).

Studies not in support

Bandicoots were last confirmed in the Western Division of NSW and southwest Australia 53-28 and 29-4 years before foxes arrived, respectively (Wallach and Lundgren 2025).

Is the threat claim evidence-based?

No studies were found evidencing a negative association between foxes and western barred bandicoot populations. The fate of reintroduced animals is not a reliable proxy for the fate of populations. In two regions extirpation records pre-date the fox arrival records.

Evidence linking Perameles bougainville to foxes. A. Systematic review of evidence for an association between Perameles bougainville and foxes. Positive studies are in support of the hypothesis that foxes contribute to the decline of Perameles bougainville, negative studies are not in support. Predation studies include studies documenting hunting or scavenging; baiting studies are associations between poison baiting and threatened mammal abundance where information on predator abundance is not provided; population studies are associations between threatened mammal and predator abundance. Gold borders indicate studies that meet qualities of scientific rigour. B. Last records of extirpated populations relative to earliest local records of foxes. Error bars show minimum and maximum extinction intervals. Predator arrival records were digitized from Fairfax 2019. See methods section in Wallach and Lundgren 2025 for details on evidence categories.
Evidence linking Perameles bougainville to foxes. A. Systematic review of evidence for an association between Perameles bougainville and foxes. Positive studies are in support of the hypothesis that foxes contribute to the decline of Perameles bougainville, negative studies are not in support. Predation studies include studies documenting hunting or scavenging; baiting studies are associations between poison baiting and threatened mammal abundance where information on predator abundance is not provided; population studies are associations between threatened mammal and predator abundance. Gold borders indicate studies that meet qualities of scientific rigour. B. Last records of extirpated populations relative to earliest local records of foxes. Error bars show minimum and maximum extinction intervals. Predator arrival records were digitized from Fairfax 2019. See methods section in Wallach and Lundgren 2025 for details on evidence categories.

References

EPBC. (2015) Threat Abatement Plan for Predation by Feral Cats. Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, Department of Environment, Government of Australia. (Table A1).

Fairfax, Dispersal of the introduced red fox (Vulpes vulpes) across Australia. Biol. Invasions 21, 1259-1268 (2019).

IUCN Red List. https://www.iucnredlist.org/ Accessed June 2023

Richards, J., 2012. Western barred bandicoot Perameles bougainville, burrowing bettong Bettongia lesueur and banded hare-wallaby Lagostrophus fasciatus National Recovery Plan. Wildlife Management Program, (49).

Richards, J.D. and Short, J., 2003. Reintroduction and establishment of the western barred bandicoot Perameles bougainville (Marsupialia: Peramelidae) at Shark Bay, Western Australia. Biological Conservation, 109(2), pp.181-195.

Wallach A.D., Lundgren E.J. (2025) Review of evidence that foxes and cats cause extinctions of Australia’s endemic mammals. BioScience. DOI: 10.1093/biosci/biaf046