AssetID: 55167531
Headline: Adorable quadruplet baby Numbats spotted in the wild — a rare and heartwarming sign the endangered species is bouncing back in Australia
Caption: A family of four baby Numbats has been caught on camera exploring and playing in the bushlands of New South Wales, a discovery that’s being hailed as a major win for one of Australia’s rarest and most charming marsupials. The pint-sized siblings were among seven young Numbats recently sighted at Australian Wildlife Conservancy’s (AWC) Scotia Wildlife Sanctuary and Mallee Cliffs National Park, where the AWC works hand-in-hand with the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS). The surprise sightings have sparked fresh hope for the future of the elusive species — once common across southern Australia but wiped out in NSW decades ago by feral cats and foxes. “Babies are always a really special find, particularly for a species as difficult to spot in the wild as the Numbat,” said Dr Rachel Ladd, AWC Wildlife Ecologist. “Seeing seven young Numbats lets us know that the population is breeding in favourable environmental conditions and becoming more established.” Five of the juveniles — including the adorable quadruplets — were found at Mallee Cliffs National Park on Barakandji Country, believed to be the great-great-grandchildren of Numbats reintroduced there in 2020 under a bold AWC and NPWS partnership to bring the species back from the brink. Meanwhile, two more youngsters were spotted darting around logs at Scotia Wildlife Sanctuary, also on Barakandji Country. Experts say these sightings show the population is bouncing back after a severe hit from the 2018–19 drought in the Lower Murray Darling region. “It felt surreal seeing four siblings in the one location,” said Michael Daddow, AWC Land Management Officer. “They were just cruising around, falling asleep, and playing with each other. The bravest of the lot even ran up to me to check me out before scurrying back — it wasn’t scared at all.” AWC videographer and photographer Brad Leue also managed to capture the precious moment and said he was taken aback by how tiny and endearing the baby Numbats were. “I saw them exploring outside their family den which has an opening about the size of a coffee cup,” he said. “I was lucky enough to observe them for a couple of days and get an idea of their routine — sharing a den with mum overnight, venturing out around 8am, and playing within 50 metres of their home while mum hunts for termites.” He added: “There were also a lot of little burrows in the area that I believe mum had created so that the babies could run to if they were disturbed while out exploring.” With fewer than 1,000 Numbats believed to remain in the wild, these playful quadruplets are being celebrated as a symbol of hope — a sign that one of Australia’s most threatened native mammals might finally be making a comeback.
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