Feral predator-proof fence erected across the isthmus
to prevent reinvasion

In the heart of the World Heritage Listed Shark Bay is the ecologically rich Francois Peron National Park. This park is located on the arid 1050 square kilometre Peron Peninsula, which is severed from the mainland at its isthmus by a 3.4 kilometre electric fence. Isolated from Australia, it is home to Project Eden the arid scientific conservation component of Western Shield.

Since this component began, control measures such as trapping and baiting have all but eliminated introduced predators. The fox population declined by 95 per cent after Peron Peninsula was aerially baited in April 1995.

Endangered native species are now thriving on the peninsula without the presence of introduced predators such as foxes and feral cats and without introduced foragers such as sheep, goats and rabbits.

This safe haven is providing a 'Garden of Eden' for nine species of endangered native animals that a few years ago were on the brink of extinction.

Seldom seen species that once roamed the mainland in extensive numbers are resurging in this isolation. Other species that had become locally extinct are reviving as their dwindling numbers are translocated to Peron Peninsula to breed in safety.

The immunity from foxes and feral cats has ushered in a new era of native wildlife - it has been a scientific, botanical and zoological icon. Its success is the renaissance of marsupials and plant life that were once abundant.

Re-appearing native fauna include the brush-tailed bettong (woylie), the rufous hare-wallaby, the Western barred bandicoot, the Shark Bay mouse, the Western quoll (chuditch), the mulgara, the banded hare-wallaby, the red-tailed phascogale and the malleefowl.

In 1997, DEC (formerly CALM) began to reintroduce animals first the malleefowl, followed by woylies and greater bilbies.

It is hoped to translocate the burrowing bettong (boodie), pale field rat, chuditch, greater sticknest rat and phascogale to the area.

Feral cats presented the biggest challenge for department scientists. They did not readily take the dried meat baits that worked so well on the fox. A special cat bait was developed and tested and is now working well.

Project Eden is the Noah's Ark of native fauna and flora, turning its energies to a series of diverse and inventive techniques to rid the area of feral herbivores and predators that destroyed native Habitat and wildlife in a 150-year period of European pastoral settlement.

It aspires to turn the tide of extinction and destruction on a small slice of mainland Australia, rejuvenating 105,000 hectares in the continent's biggest and most exciting arid-zone recovery.