Long-Nosed Potoroos Find Love at Aussie Ark

Ambassador long-nosed potoroo Dandarah has found love for the first time at the Aussie Ark Sanctuary in the Barrington Tops of Australia. Till now the three year old potoroo has been living life as a bachelorette in the sanctuaries Species Recovery Unit. Despite daily companionship from keepers and being a favourite of visitors nothing can beat friendship with her own species.

For the first time in her life Dandarah is living alongside another potoroo Fredrick to who she was introduced this week. He was born and bred at Aussie Ark and is himself in prime breeding condition.

Aussie Ark Wildlife Ranger Matt Helm conducted the delicate introduction. First Mr Helm health-checked both potoroos. Next he placed Fredrick’s pet-pack inside Dandarah’s enclosure, and opened the door. Dandarah was released near the pet-pack, and Mr Helm sat back and quietly observed their first interactions.

“It wasn’t love at first sight!” Mr Helm said. “Dandarah found a piece of banana before discovering Fredrick, so that distracted her for a while!”

Matt reports that it didn’t take long after the pair met for them to require some privacy.

“We’re going to leave them for a few days to get acquainted with each other, but we’ve set up some camera-traps to monitor their secret love-life,” Hr Helm said.

All the action has been caught on the remote camera traps allowing rangers to watch the interactions between Dandarah and Frederick. From watching the interactions Mr Helm has high hopes the pair will hit it off.

“Like all marsupials, Long-nosed potoroos have a very short gestation period of only 40 days,” Mr Helm said. “So in a couple of months we’ll do a pouch check and hopefully discover Dandarah’s first joey!”

Aussie Ark’s breeding population of long-nosed potoroos are vital to the survival of this species which is facing extinction. They are impacted by predation and loss of habitat.