In a remarkable twist for conservationists, the ampurta (Dasycercus hillieri)—a rat-sized predatory marsupial once listed as Endangered—has demonstrated extraordinary resilience in the face of extreme environmental stress. Despite Australia’s Millennium Drought (2001–2009), the species not only survived but expanded its range dramatically, defying expectations that climate extremes always worsen extinction risks.
From Endangered to Least Concern
Listed as Endangered in 1999 and believed to be Extinct in the Wild in parts of Australia, the ampurta’s fortunes turned unexpectedly during prolonged drought conditions. According to a study from the Center for Ecosystem Science at the University of New South Wales, the marsupial increased its known range by over 48,000 km²—an area larger than Denmark.
“Despite unprecedented and prolonged drought during the study period, ampurtas expanded into areas where their status was ‘presumed extinct,’” the researchers wrote.
By 2019, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) had upgraded the ampurta’s status to Least Concern, highlighting its extraordinary recovery.
How the Ampurta Beat the Odds
Australia’s endemic mammals face extreme risks of extinction, largely due to invasive species such as rabbits, foxes, and feral cats. Normally, booms in rabbit populations lead to increases in fox and feral cat numbers, which then prey heavily on marsupials like the ampurta. However, during the Millennium Drought, a combination of factors worked in the ampurta’s favor:
- Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease Virus drastically reduced the rabbit population, curbing the food supply for invasive predators.
- The ampurta’s flexible omnivorous diet and low water requirements allowed it to survive and expand into previously extirpated areas.
This pattern repeated during the 2017–2019 drought, further confirming that drought periods create windows of opportunity for the species to thrive.
A Rare Conservation Success
The ampurta’s resilience offers a hopeful signal for wildlife recovery in Australia’s arid and semi-arid landscapes, where large-scale conservation efforts are often costly and difficult. Researchers suggest that monitoring other native species during droughts could reveal similar patterns of resilience, potentially informing assisted recovery efforts and species reintroductions in regions where certain animals remain locally extinct.
“[The] increase in global extent of occurrence for ampurta, achieved during severe drought, is one of the clearest recent examples of native mammalian re-expansion under climate extremes. This is a rare and hopeful conservation signal,” the authors noted.
Looking Forward
The ampurta’s story is a powerful reminder of nature’s capacity to adapt. While extreme weather events often threaten species survival, the ampurta demonstrates that strategic understanding of ecological dynamics can turn adversity into opportunity. Conservationists hope that these insights will guide future recovery projects for other threatened Australian wildlife.