From out of the shadows: a review of the distribution, threats and conservation actions to recover the brush-tailed rock-wallaby in Victoria

The brush-tailed rock-wallaby (Petrogale penicillata) is one of Victoria’s most critically endangered mammals and is listed as vulnerable nationally. After undergoing a dramatic decline in the late 19th and early 20th Centuries, the species is now constricted within Victoria to a single remnant colony in the Snowy River National Park and two small colonies of translocated individuals in the Gariwerd–Grampians National Park, leaving the species in great danger of statewide extinction. We review the modern history of the species within Victoria, including the threats that led to its decline and those that currently affect the long-term persistence of the species, namely small population size, introduced predators (primarily the red fox, Vulpes vulpes), and climate change. We also review the extensive and innovative conservation actions that have occurred, and identify the key actions needed to pull the brush-tailed rock-wallaby from the edge of extinction in Victoria and safeguard it into the future. These measures include ongoing and effective predator control, additional translocations with experimental releases and adaptive management, and addressing key knowledge gaps around climate change.