Common or rare? Long-nosed potoroo conservation across diverse landscapes

Digging mammals play key functional roles in ecosystem processes, facilitating soil turnover, seed germination and dispersal of fungal spores linked with forest health and productivity. These species have been disproportionately affected by the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) and feral cat (Felis catus), resulting in lost ecosystem functions. Digging mammals are further affected by habitat destruction and degradation, inappropriate fire regimes, climate change and the compounding, interactive effects of these processes on population resilience. We present the case of the long-nosed potoroo in Victoria (Potorous tridactylus trisulcatus) with the aim of identifying the species’ contrasting status in different landscapes, conservation value and challenges therein. We draw from research across different bioregions, comparing flourishing populations with those close to local extinction. We highlight the interactive impacts of fire regimes and invasive predators in the context of a changing climate causing declines in long-nosed potoroo, while emphasising the importance of protecting suitable habitat that enables the species to evade invasive predators. We provide future directions to manage long-nosed potoroo in Victoria. More strategic conservation actions – including predator management, integration of short-range translocations and improved fire management and prevention strategies – are required to ensure species persistence and resilience in the face of climate change.