Tiny carnivorous marsupial feared extinct in NSW rediscovered

A small carnivorous marsupial, thought to be extinct in New South Wales for more than a century, has been rediscovered in the state's far northwest.

The crest-tailed mulgara – known only from fossilised bone fragments – was discovered in Sturt National Park, north-west of Tibooburra, by a University of New South Wales Wild Deserts team.

The discovery was exciting, Wild Deserts ecologist Dr Rebecca West said.

"The crest-tailed mulgara was once widely distributed across sandy desert environments in inland Australia, but declined due to the effects of rabbits, cats and foxes," she said.

"The species weighs about 150g and has pale blonde fur and a thick tail with a distinctive black crest."

The mulgara will benefit from a special program next year, Wild Deserts co-ordinator Reece Pedler said.

"Next year we are due to begin introduced predator and rabbit eradication from a large area, which will no doubt help the mulgara," he said.

The project is aimed at returning mammal species not seen for decades in the park, National Parks and Wildlife Service area manager Jaymie Norris said.

It will involve eradicating rabbits, cats and foxes from two 20km-square areas and then reintroducing locally extinct mammals, such as the greater bilby, burrowing bettong and western quoll.

The project's work in South Australia suggests the mulgara is growing in population and expanding its range in the Strzelecki Desert.