An unbelievable discovery unfolded in the Barkly on Tuesday after one of the most endangered species in Australia – the Bilby – was found near Bootu Creek Mine.
Tennant Creek’s Barkly Vet Practice was contacted by a woman from the mine who came across a mother Bilby’s body, and held onto it until Central Land Council Rangers came to pick it up.
In the mother’s pouch was a baby.
It was trainee veterinarian Shoni Smith’s first time seeing the native critter.
“It took me a few seconds to realise the importance, I’d never seen any bilbies come into our practice in Tennant Creek,” she told the Tennant Times.
“It looked like a miniature kangaroo with a long snout!”
Local wildlife carer Carol Hepburn has been given the task to attend to the needs of the infant mammal and has named him Lukkanu – meaning “star” in Warumungu.
“He is the star of the moment, it was such an amazing find because we thought the population was decimated in the area due to feral cats,” said Carol.
“I have spoken to many countrymen and they can’t remember the last time they have seen one.
“The mum had to be pregnant to somebody, so hopefully it’s a good sign there are more about.”
Carol describes Lukkanu, suspected to be two-and-a-half months old, as a little character who is very gutsy but is still finding his feet, especially being taking out of his makeshift pouch ready for all the photos.
He also chirps like a baby bird and loves nestling.
Lukkanu’s feeding has been what Carol describes as “up and down”, however thanked the Desert Park in Alice Springs and Seaworld for help in the knowledge to care for him.
As well as volunteering as a wildlife carer and the Barkly Vet Practice, Carol works with Julalikari Council Aboriginal Corporation’s Karguru Nursery, working with the First Nations Seed Bank and Ancient Grains, where she takes her precious babies to work.
Barkly Vet Practice owner Dave Hall and other local conservationists have been lobbying for a cat-proof fence to surround the poo farm ponds, where endangered species could live and thrive.
And Carol agrees and says it could be a huge boost to tourism for the Barkly.
“This is such a significant find for the Barkly and it’s important we take step up to protect the species from extinction,” she said.
“The wildlife we have around Tennant Creek is pretty unique.
“We have a few Mala (kangaroos) and the migratory birds which come to the sewerage farm ponds every year which twitchers will travel for miles to see some of these birds.
“The find of Lukkanu is better than finding the biggest golden nugget!”
For those who aren’t familiar with the Bilby, they are the size of a domestic cat and once populated around 70 per cent of the nation prior to colonisation.
The species is now restricted to around 15 per cent in the deserts in NT, Western Australia and south-west Queensland.
The Bilby is pretty handy for other native wildlife too, being renowned for digging new burrows every few weeks – often used by other native animals.
This article appeared in Tennant & District Times, 5 November 2021.
