The ACT is the only state or territory without a mammal emblem and the ACT Government is seeking community feedback on this omission will be sought as part of a brief and inexpensive community engagement process.
“New South Wales is home to the playful platypus, Queensland cuddles up to the koala, South Australians love their hairy-nosed wombats and all the other states and territories get to enjoy their own mammal, except the ACT. A number of residents have suggested that, whilst not the biggest issue of our time, this is something we could look into.” ACT Chief Minister Andrew Barr commented.
The Chief Minister explained that in the next sitting of the Legislative Assembly, I will move a motion for the Standing Committee on Environment and Transport and City Services to consider the matter. I look forward to seeing the Committee’s considerations on this, which I hope will include hearing from Canberrans if they’d like their own mammal emblem and what animals they believe would be a good fit.
“The ACT already has a floral and faunal emblem including the Royal Bluebell which flowers in Canberra from late October to February and the gang-gang cockatoo which was first considered by a Standing Committee in 1996 before it was adopted by the Legislative Assembly a year later.” Chief Minister Barr commented “One obvious candidate is the near-threatened eastern bettong. In the 1920s the tiny species became extinct on the mainland due the introduction of rabbits and foxes. Luckily they managed to survive in Tasmania and in 2012 a small population was reintroduced at the Mulligans Flat Woodland Sanctuary here in Canberra, where they appear to be doing well.” The Chief Minister added. Barr went on to point out that another is the brush-tail rock wallaby. With just 40 left in the wild, Canberra’s Tidbinbilla Nature Park is doing its best to increase the species chances of survival by introducing it to their national breeding program. The aim is to increase the captive population to 200 before releasing more of the mammals into the wild.
“Choosing an animal such as the eastern bettong or the brush-tail rock wallaby will likely bring conservation benefits, by raising awareness to help ensure its survival into the future. This has proven successful in other states where an endangered mammal has been adopted as an emblem, such as the Tasmanian devil in Tasmania in 2015.” The Chief Minister commented.