Island move in bid to save Vic bandicoots

An island getaway is often just what the doctor ordered, but a seaside venture could mean the difference between life and death for a group of Victorian bandicoots.

Sixteen eastern barred bandicoots have been moved to Churchill Island, Victoria, as part of a trial to save the species from extinction.

The island is free from predators such as foxes and feral cats.

Eight males and eight females have been released at the site and will be monitored for two years.

Authorities will then decide whether they will release more of the marsupials in larger fox-free areas, such as Phillip and French islands.

Eastern barred bandicoots have been considered extinct in the wild since 1991.

A gene pool widening project, which aims to mix the bandicoots with a Tasmanian sub-species to increase diversity, is also under way in a bid to protect the species.