Numbat Welfare in Captive Breeding: Perth Zoo and Australia's Last Populations

Numbats are one of Australia's most endangered marsupials, with captive breeding programmes at Perth Zoo playing a critical role in preventing extinction and managing welfare of individuals in care.

Key Facts

Fewer than 1,000 numbats survive in the wild, restricted to two small areas of Western Australia
Numbats are the only Australian marsupial that feeds exclusively on termites, consuming up to 20,000 daily
Perth Zoo's numbat breeding programme has produced over 200 individuals for wild release since 1993
Numbats are solitary and highly territorial, requiring individual housing in captivity

Welfare Considerations

Captive numbats face significant challenges meeting their specialist dietary needs — live termites are difficult to supply at scale, requiring dedicated termite colonies. Individuals in too-small enclosures exhibit stereotypic pacing and fail to express natural foraging behaviour. Social housing causes severe stress and aggression in this solitary species. Temperature management is critical as numbats are ectothermally sensitive. Released animals face fox and cat predation in areas where predator control is insufficient.

What You Can Do

Support Perth Zoo Foundation numbat conservation fundraising
Advocate for expanded predator-free sanctuaries for numbat wild release sites
Donate to Australian Wildlife Conservancy which manages numbat populations at Mt Gibson Sanctuary
Raise awareness of numbat conservation and the threat of introduced predators to Australian wildlife