BMD supporting efforts to bring back the bandicoot

BMD’s environment and sustainability team in Victoria joined Conservation Volunteers Australia, Zoos Victoria and Parks Victoria in the Woodlands Historic Park northwest of Melbourne to monitor a population of eastern barred bandicoots, a species extinct in the wild up until a few years ago.

Now considered endangered, the eastern barred bandicoots’ population has been revitalised with captive breeding and reintroduction programs, and monitoring the community is key to the ongoing conservation of the species.

BMD Group’s Regional Environmental and Sustainability Manager Micala Witton, who brought her children along to help out, said the volunteering experience was extremely rewarding.

“My children and I were lucky enough to monitor and release five eastern barred bandicoots, some of which hadn’t been captured before, which was both unexpected and wonderful,” Ms Witton said.

Volunteers were involved in the gentle handling of bandicoots, scanning them for existing microchips, tagging those that were not chipped and releasing them back into the wild.

“While we got to enjoy the fun part of the conservation work, the animals we monitored and released this week wouldn’t be here without the effort and commitment from various organisations over the past 30 years,” Ms Witton said.

“I believe we all have power in the many small decisions we make as individuals that can lead to positive change, like bringing back an animal from the brink of extinction.”

At BMD, we remain focused on integrating environmental and social considerations into our business operations, and environmental stewardship has always been a priority. This volunteering program is just one of many passion projects, undertaken by the BMD team in the areas of sustainability and conservation for an enduring impact on the community.