PREVIEW

Sixty years after disappearing from the Outback, an iconic Australian species has made a remarkable return. 40 brushtail possums were flown on a special charter flight from secure populations on Kangaroo Island to the Northern Territory's Newhaven Wildlife Sanctuary, where the species is endangered. The reintroduction involved a group of rangers and youth from the Laramba Aboriginal Community and Ngalia-Warlpiri/Luritja people, who participated in a ceremony welcoming the possums to the sanctuary's predator-free area. The possums, vital for ecological balance, had nearly vanished from inland Australia. The reintroduction aims to restore their population and ecological role. The species holds cultural significance for the Anmatyerr people, with the "Rrpwamper" (Possum Dreaming) story passed down through generations, symbolising the possum's historical presence in Central Australia. The reintroduction efforts unite traditional custodians and conservationists in a broader conservation strategy.