NESP RL Project 5.7 - Understanding the ongoing decline of a threatened arid mesopredator - the kowari (Dasyuroides byrnei)

The kowari is a small, carnivorous marsupial found only in the remote stony deserts of north-east South Australia and south-west Queensland. In 2023, the conservation status of the kowari was upgraded from Vulnerable to Endangered. Recent research suggests there is a 20% risk that kowari could become extinct within the next 20 years, and scientists estimate that as few as 1200 kowari are left in the wild. The causes of decline in kowari populations are not well understood. This project will assess the threats considered to pose the greatest risk to the species: poor dispersal of kowari into new areas or into areas where they have become locally extinct; the influence of predators such as dingoes, foxes and feral cats on dispersal and survival; and the impact of intensive pastoral activity on kowari distribution and abundance. The genetic health of kowari populations is also unknown. This research will provide land managers and conservation practitioners with scientific evidence to support or adapt their management practices to promote the recovery of kowari populations.