Will & Bear

the proof is in the partnership

Eastern Barred Bandicoot being released at Tiverton. Photo by Annette Ruzicka

hats off to bandicoots

Introducing the Percy Eucalyptus hat by Will & Bear, dedicated to supporting Odonata’s recovery efforts of the eastern barred bandicoot. Profits from every hat sold contributes $20,000 a year to what has become the most successful recovery program for the species ever recorded. In an Australian first, these collaborative efforts led to the downlisting of the species from extinct in the wild to endangered.

The eastern barred bandicoot became extinct in the wild due to habitat loss as a result of agriculture and urbanisation, predation by introduced species such as foxes and cats, and competition with other herbivores.

Odonata Foundation started with just 34 eastern barred bandicoots three years ago, with conservative estimates tracking the population at our Tiverton Farm Sanctuary to be approximately 3,000 as at the end of 2023.

support bandicoots in style.

Why save the Eastern Barred Bandicoot?

Whilst the benefits of saving a species from extinction are implied, the lesser-known story is that eastern barred bandicoots act as remarkable ecosystem engineers, each moving three tonnes of soil per year. This does remarkable things for soil aeration, seed dispersion, water capture and flood and drought tolerance. It allows for the dispersion of finite nutrients and increased soil fertility for food production. They’re also omnivorous and live off a diverse range of insects, which in turn reduces the chances of plague.

The reintroduction of eastern barred bandicoots at Odonata's Tiverton Sanctuary, which is also a working sheep farm, has seen an improvement in soil health, remnant vegetation and native grasses, which in turn improves the wool quality of the sheep.

Saving precious and declining native species from the brink of extinction and restoring the landscapes they call home, is critical to addressing biodiversity loss, climate change and the associated extreme weather events such as flood, drought and fire.

Thanks to the support of partners like Will & Bear we can continue our species-saving work.