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| Save the Bilby Fund | |
|---|---|
| Name | Save the Bilby Fund |
| Formation | 1997 |
| Type | Non-profit organisation |
| Headquarters | New South Wales, Australia |
| Region served | Australia |
| Focus | Wildlife conservation, species recovery |
Save the Bilby Fund is an Australian non-profit organisation dedicated to the conservation and recovery of the greater bilby. The organisation focuses on captive breeding, reintroduction, habitat protection and public education to reverse declines documented by national and regional surveys. It operates within networks of wildlife agencies, zoos and Indigenous land managers to coordinate recovery actions across Queensland, New South Wales and Western Australia.
Founded in 1997, the organisation emerged amid heightened concern following surveys by the Australian Museum and reports from the IUCN that highlighted declines in marsupial populations. Early collaborators included the Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales, the Queensland Museum and private supporters linked to the Australian Wildlife Conservancy. Campaigns in the 2000s aligned with federal recovery plans administered through the Department of the Environment and Heritage (Australia) and intersected with initiatives by the Threatened Species Recovery Hub and regional programs coordinated by the New South Wales National Parks and Wildlife Service. Major milestones involved establishing captive-breeding protocols in partnership with institutions such as the Taronga Conservation Society Australia, Perth Zoo, and community groups operating on lands managed by the Gunggari and other Indigenous organisations.
The organisation’s mission emphasizes species recovery, public awareness and fundraising for on-ground action. Activities include running captive-breeding facilities, supporting translocation projects, funding predator-control campaigns, and producing educational materials distributed through partners like the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and the Australian Museum. Outreach efforts have involved collaborations with conservation NGOs such as the WWF-Australia, the Australian Wildlife Conservancy, and academic partners at the University of Sydney and the University of Queensland to promote research into bilby ecology and genetics.
Programs supported encompass captive-breeding and release programs, predator management, habitat restoration and research. Releases have been implemented at sanctuaries managed by organisations including the Arid Recovery project, Kakadu National Park, and fenced reserves operated by the Yampi Sound Training Area partners. Predator control has coordinated with agencies using methods endorsed by the Australian Pest Animal Council and scientific guidance from researchers at the CSIRO and the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation. Genetic management and monitoring have been undertaken in collaboration with laboratories connected to the Australian National University and the University of Western Australia to reduce inbreeding and maintain adaptive variation.
Funding streams consist of public donations, corporate sponsorships, grants from philanthropic bodies and partnerships with zoological institutions. Corporate partners have included alliances with entities visible in Australian philanthropy networks, while grant support has at times been sought through mechanisms administered by the Australian Government’s environment portfolios and private foundations associated with the Myer Foundation and other donors in the philanthropy sector. Strategic partnerships have been formed with the Royal Botanic Gardens and Domain Trust, community conservation groups like the Conservation Volunteers Australia, and Indigenous ranger programs funded through regional land councils such as the Ngaanyatjarra Council.
The organisation claims measurable outcomes in terms of increased numbers of released individuals, expanded predator-free refuges and heightened public profile for marsupial conservation. Translocation projects have been reported in peer-reviewed contexts alongside case studies from sanctuaries like Wadderin Sanctuary and programs led by the Mallee Catchment Management Authority. Public engagement campaigns and merchandise raised awareness reflected in media coverage by outlets such as The Sydney Morning Herald and The Guardian (Australia), and academic assessments have cited collaborative contributions to recovery planning documents produced with the Threatened Species Commissioner (Australia) and state conservation authorities.
Critiques have addressed dependency on captive-breeding at the expense of landscape-scale habitat protection, echoing debates familiar from literature involving the IUCN Species Survival Commission and commentators associated with the Australian Conservation Foundation. Some conservation scientists have questioned long-term viability projections used in promotional materials, referencing methodologies debated in journals connected to the Ecological Society of Australia and critiques of translocations discussed at forums hosted by the Ecological Society of America and comparable bodies. Funding transparency and allocation priorities have been raised by stakeholders involved in regional land management, including Indigenous groups represented through councils and peak bodies such as the National Native Title Council.
Category:Conservation organizations based in Australia Category:Endangered species conservation