Mammal feared extinct was recognized from Australian magazine. Now it’s thriving
In 1973 a fencing contractor working in Queensland, Australia, noticed an unusual-looking wallaby on a property being cleared for cattle.
When he described the animal to his wife, it triggered her memory of an article she’d read in Woman’s Day magazine about an extinct species called the bridled nailtail wallaby, according to Australian Geographic.
They alerted authorities, who confirmed it was the same species that hadn’t been seen since the 1920s.
The property held the only known population of nailtail wallabies, so the Queensland government bought the land and made it part of a protected park.
Today and over 1,000 miles away, at least 14 new wallabies have been recorded in Mallee Cliffs National Park, marking the first generation born there in nearly a century, according to a Sept. 4 news release from The New South Wales Depart of Environment and Heritage.
“These wallabies now live within Mallee Cliffs nearly 10,000-hectare feral predator-free area – the largest of its kind on mainland Australia, providing them with protection from feral cats and foxes, a key driver of previous declines,” officials said.
Officials said 45 nailtail wallabies were reintroduced to the park in June 2024, with breeding taking place shortly after.
“The birth of 14 bridled nailtail wallabies at Mallee Cliffs National Park is an exciting milestone in the recovery of a species once thought lost to our beautiful country forever, “ Dave Kelly, manager of threatened species for Australia’s National Parks and Wild Service, said.
The bridled nailtail wallaby is listed as a critically endangered species in Australia, according to experts.
This story was originally published September 4, 2025 at 3:42 PM.
