Nanda rangers of Midwest WA are working with scientists from the state's Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions to monitor rock wallabies in the beautiful Kalbarri National Park.
Once thought extinct in the area, the black-flanked rock-wallaby is back and booming; thanks to reintroductions and feral animal control efforts.
The latest monitoring reveals the wallabies are now spreading through the gorges, with visitors now regularly sighting the animals at the Kalbarri Skywalk and The Loop.
The success story is about more than just numbers. For the Nanda rangers, bringing back the wallabies means Caring for Country and protecting the cultural and natural heritage of this unique landscape.
Nanda Ranger Samarra Martin takes pride in her work.
"You feel good as a Nanda ranger, a Nanda person, to see the growth of the rock wallabies from being almost extinct to thriving out here. It makes you happy," she said.
"They're cute. They're really small - smaller than a joey kangaroo. And, yeah, they're pretty fast.
"We catch them, we check if they've got a tag in between their shoulder blades. And if they don't we put a chip in so that we can know when and where they were tagged."
Principal Research Scientist David Pearson said "we're seeing what are essentially second generation Kalbarri rock wallabies now that are carrying pouch young".
"And it's been amazing. There's so much sign now of rock wallabies all along the gorge, and in places where we didn't release animals, they've started to turn up, particularly places like the Skywalk and the Loop.
"I think that's just a fantastic outcome that people are starting to see them."
He said if foxes and cats can be kept under control, rock wallabies can thrive.
"Western Shield has been a really important part of that ongoing baiting, to ensure we keep predator numbers down really low," he said.
"Monitoring rock wallabies we do it by putting a number of traps out through the gorge.
"And we take some measurements; Typically, the head length. And again, we check in the pouch and we take a tiny little bit of ear tissue, which we can use for genetics. So that gives us an idea of the origin of the parentage of that particular rock wallaby."
