another marsupial moment

A tiny — and distinctly dead — endangered marsupial has helped authorities catch an alleged wildlife thief and recover a stolen two-metre python after a remarkable rescue involving police, wildlife officers and the Defence Department.

The drama began when the unfortunate woylie — wearing a wristwatch-sized radio collar — was eaten by a carpet python at a nature reserve south of Perth, known by scientists as a haven for the cute rodent-like critter.

Aware that the snake could die after swallowing the tracking device, wildlife officers took the bulging python to the Department of Environment and Conservation for monitoring. Two days later, the snake was stolen — with the dead woylie and tracking device still inside it.

In a daring response, the department used an aeroplane and a team of angry scientists to track the woylie's radio signal, even getting Defence Department approval to enter restricted air space, before pinpointing it to a house in Heathridge in Perth's northern suburbs. DEC senior scientist Nicky Marlow, who headed a ground crew liaising with the plane, said the data provided was amazingly accurate. "The location they gave us was within 60m of where it was found, which is brilliant. We went out with an omni-directional antenna fitted to our vehicle and just drove past the spot so that we wouldn't arouse suspicion.

"We then called the police and wildlife officers and we all rendezvoused," she said.

"It was really exciting. There were five police, a justice of the peace, two wildlife officers and four of us (from the woylie research program)." Police yesterday charged a 30-year-old Heathridge man with receiving stolen goods.

Investigations are continuing with more charges possible. Dr Marlow said the large carpet python was worth up to $2000 on the legitimate market and much more on the black market. But she said it was a mystery how the thief knew it was at the department. Nothing else was stolen in the burglary.

The Australian


Juvenile woylie (Photo: Sabrina Trocini)
Photo from the Woylie Conservation Research Project website