To celebrate the birth of Prince Louis Arthur Charles to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, the Australian Government is contributing $10,000 to Perth Zoo to help with its numbat breeding program.

The contribution, made on behalf of the Australian people, will support research and breeding efforts at the zoo to help reverse the decline of this endangered species.

Perth Zoo is the only zoo in the world breeding numbats, which aims to bolster wild populations and fight extinction.

To date, more than 200 numbats bred at Perth Zoo have been released to the wild. Working with partners, the breeding program has been successful in re-establishing four populations of numbats in their former range.

Less than 1,000 numbats remain in their natural habitat.

Comments attributed to Environment Minister Stephen Dawson:

“I am delighted that WA’s fauna emblem, the numbat, will benefit from a contribution in honour of the Royal birth.

“This gift is not only special to mark the birth of Prince Louis, but also for the profile of this endangered species.

“It’s hoped this will inspire people all around the world to learn more about numbats. They used to be widespread throughout Australia but sadly, due to the effects of introduced species like cats and foxes, today original wild populations are found only within a couple of small areas of Western Australia.

“We look forward to hopefully one day being able to welcome the Prince to Perth Zoo to see the specialised numbat breeding area, and how this contribution in honour of his birth has helped the conservation of the species.”