Return to 1616: Multispecies Fauna Reconstruction Requires Thinking Outside the Box

Saul Cowen; Colleen Sims; Kym Ottewell; Fiona Knox; Tony Friend; Harriet Mills; Sean Garretson; Kelly Rayner; Lesley Gibson

doi:10.3390/ani13172762

Return to 1616: Multispecies Fauna Reconstruction Requires Thinking Outside the Box

Saul Cowen, Colleen Sims, Kym Ottewell, Fiona Knox, Tony Friend, Harriet Mills, Sean Garretson, Kelly Rayner, Lesley Gibson

School of Biological Sciences

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Conservation translocations have become increasingly popular for ‘rewilding’ areas that have lost their native fauna. These multispecies translocations are complex and need to consider the requirements of each individual species as well as the influence of likely interactions among them. The Dirk Hartog Island National Park Ecological Restoration Project, Return to 1616, aspires to restore ecological function to Western Australia’s largest island. Since 2012, pest animals have been eradicated, and conservation translocations of seven fauna species have been undertaken, with a further six planned. Here, we present a synthesis of the innovative approaches undertaken in restoring the former faunal assemblage of Dirk Hartog Island and the key learnings gathered as the project has progressed.

Original language	English
Article number	2762
Journal	Animals
Volume	13
Issue number	17
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13172762
Publication status	Published - Sept 2023

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10.3390/ani13172762Licence: CC BY

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abstract = "Conservation translocations have become increasingly popular for {\textquoteleft}rewilding{\textquoteright} areas that have lost their native fauna. These multispecies translocations are complex and need to consider the requirements of each individual species as well as the influence of likely interactions among them. The Dirk Hartog Island National Park Ecological Restoration Project, Return to 1616, aspires to restore ecological function to Western Australia{\textquoteright}s largest island. Since 2012, pest animals have been eradicated, and conservation translocations of seven fauna species have been undertaken, with a further six planned. Here, we present a synthesis of the innovative approaches undertaken in restoring the former faunal assemblage of Dirk Hartog Island and the key learnings gathered as the project has progressed.",

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Return to 1616: Multispecies Fauna Reconstruction Requires Thinking Outside the Box

Abstract

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