Welcome to Arid Recovery

We manage a 123 square km wildlife reserve in the arid north of South Australia. Wildlife are protected across the Reserve using 80 kilometres of fencing that excludes feral cats, foxes and rabbits. As a not-for-profit conservation organisation we are committed to restoring native wildlife both within our Reserve and across the vast arid zone.

Arid Recovery was established in 1997 as a partnership between industry, government, research and the community. The Reserve is divided into six paddocks, each with a unique history and purpose.

Securing threatened species.

The Reserve is divided into six paddocks, each with a unique history and purpose.We have completely removed feral cats, foxes and rabbits from the 60 km² core conservation zone. Here, we protect five threatened mammal species that have otherwise been decimated by feral animals across the rest of the country.

Saving species through science.

As Australia's largest predator-proof fenced reserve, we recognise that conservation fencing is only an interim solution to saving Australian mammals that are vulnerable to cat and fox predation. For this reason, we have dedicated the remaining 67 km²; of the Reserve to developing the science that may one day allow vulnerable animals to survive alongside feral animals outside of fenced reserves.

In one of our paddocks, we have reintroduced feral cats in a controlled way and are training bilbies and bettongs to learn to co-exist with cats. In another paddock, we are investigating the relationship between native wildlife, feral animals and dingoes in a controlled experiment. We are pleased to see the first rays of hope that these approaches are working. Read more here and here.