Long-nosed potoroos might be small, but they play a big role in keeping our forests healthy. As they dig for underground fungi, they turn over soil and spread spores that help plants grow – making them true ecosystem engineers. But these mighty mini macropods are under serious pressure, and many South East Queensland populations have already disappeared sue to the dual impacts of habitat clearing and feral predators. Even just a few cats and foxes can completely wipe out a local population.

That’s why Friends of Parks Queensland has been rolling out cutting-edge Felixer grooming traps as part of our Potoroo Protectors Project, funded by a Threatened Species Recovery Action grant from the Queensland Government. These automated devices are designed to specifically target invasive predators, helping us to remove the key threats to potoroos while leaving native wildlife unharmed. At Austinville, near Springbrook National Park, this approach has already delivered results – with two feral cats and a fox successfully removed from an area supporting potoroos.

The impact has been immediate and encouraging. Our monitoring cameras show an increase in the potoroo population and the area they are occupying, along with no further cat or fox detections. But the job isn’t done – these predators can return, and ongoing protection is critical. Felixers cost around $12,000 per year to lease, and continued funding ill allow us to expand on this early success. As of 2026, the funding for leasing the Felixers has concluded. If you’d like to help one of Queensland’s most important small mammals, please consider donating or getting involved. Together, we can give potoroos a fighting chance.