In a significant conservation effort, the population of greater bilbies in Mallee Cliffs National Park, located in far south-west New South Wales, has surged to nearly 2,000 individuals. This increase follows the release of 50 founder bilbies in 2019, aimed at establishing a wild population for the first time in a century. The Australian Wildlife Conservancy (AWC), which oversees the project with the state government, reported that between 2021 and 2023, 107 bilbies were released into a 9,570-hectare fenced, predator-free habitat. Surveys conducted by the AWC indicate that the total population has reached 1,840 bilbies. Wildlife ecologist Rachel Ladd noted that excluding feral cats and foxes has allowed the bilbies to thrive, with motion-sensor cameras capturing their widespread presence in the habitat. The greater bilby is currently listed as vulnerable under Australian law, existing in only 20% of its historical range. The Mallee Cliffs project is one of six large predator-free areas managed by the AWC, which has reported a significant increase in bilby populations across various regions, from 3,300 in 2025 to 5,300 in 2026. The bilby’s population is known to fluctuate based on environmental conditions, reflecting its boom-and-bust nature in arid areas.