A Family of Dibblers
This attractive little Western Australian marsupial is one of the world’s rarest mammals, thought extinct until a chance rediscovery.
The Dibbler was once found in near-coastal areas across the south-west corner of Australia, from Shark Bay south-east to Esperance.
Much of the Dibbler’s original range was cleared for farming early in the European settlement of Western Australia and the remaining areas (too rugged or nutrient-poor farming) are susceptible to wildfires which wipe out the resident population/s of small animals. Foxes, cats, rats and other introduced predators and competitors also threaten the Dibbler’s survival. Perth Zoo has released over 900 Dibblers into the wild.