The endangered marsupial was reintroduced to the Jervis Bay park last year as part of a three-year translocation program.

Forestry Corporation of NSW senior field ecologist, Rohan Bilney, was thrilled to hear about the newborn bandicoot.

“That we’ve got good numbers of bandicoots to transfer is due to an effective fox control program that began in state forests near Eden nine years ago,” Mr Bilney said.

“Since regular baiting in Nadgee, East Boyd, Yambulla, Timbillica and Bruces Creek state forests we’ve seen remarkable changes in the populations of many native marsupials.

“The state forests around Eden are working forests and Forestry Corporation carefully balances timber production, biodiversity, community recreation and a range of other values in these forests.”

Parks Australia senior project officer, Nick Dexter, said intensive pest control measures over many years had led to suitable conditions for the bandicoots’ return.

“Small mammals play an important role in our ecosystems and the release of these bandicoots into areas where they’ve been locally extinct for almost 100 years helps restore ecological balance to the national park,” he said.

The last recorded sighting of the southern brown bandicoot in the Booderee area prior to their reintroduction was 1919.

In May 2016, the Magnet reported that FCNSW staff in Eden were working in partnership with Parks Australia and Taronga Conservation Society to trap the marsupials, carry out health checks, record vital information and safely release them at Booderee.

Once trapped, the bandicoots were taken to FCNSW's Wirriga Street depot in Eden where bacteria and virus samples for analysis along with internal and external parasites such as ticks, fleas and lice. 

The bandicoot relocation project followed the successful release of 13 endangered potoroos from Eden to Booderee in November 2015.