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Queensland oil and gas giant Santos has joined the fight to save the bilby, donating a 4WD  vehicle to Currawinya National Park near Charleville.

Save the Bilby co-ordinator and park ranger Frank Manthey said he was delighted big business had chipped in to help save the little Aussie creatures which were recently on the way to extinction.

Mr Manthey’s group has raised more than $160,000 to build a vermin-proof breeding enclosure in the national park.

Once bilby numbers have bred up, the fence will be opened.

The donated 4WD will help keep feral animals out by patrolling areas of the national park frequented by the bilbies after their release from the enclosure.

Fencing materials for the compound were purchased tax-free through Environmental Protection Agency, and construction of the fence began two weeks ago.

Fifty strainer posts and a host of steel pegs have already been hammered home and netting will soon be put in place.

In another recent windfall, the Save the Bilby Fund received a $1000 donation through an Australian Geographic magazine competition.

The competition winner chose the bilby group as her charity for the $1000 donation.

By Mr Manthey still needs $70 000 to purchase solar panels to power the electric fence and help monitor the whereabouts of the 40 tiny bandicoots.

A recent appeal for business to pitch in to ease the financial burden met with little support, by Mr Manthey is happy with the recent commitments by Santos and Australian Geographic.

“It’s a pity some of the other businesses wouldn’t have the view that we’ve got in Australia is worth saving”, he said.

“It’s pretty sad to think we almost lost an animal that doesn’t need water to breed – it gets its moisture from what it eats – and is the second fastest breeding mammal in the world with a pregnancy period of 12 days.”

I am writing to advise that Santos will provide a four wheel drive vehicle to the Charleville National Park in support of the “Save the Bilby” campaign.  It is our understanding that the vehicle will be used exclusively for this purpose in such areas as fence maintenance and construction, and feral animal control.

The vehicle is an ex-Santos Toyota 4.2L diesel Landcruiser with a tray body.  Santos makes no representation or warranty as to the suitability of this vehicle or also its mechanical condition.  It can be handed over to you as soon as the signage on the vehicle has been completed and I am currently working on this with a signwriting company in Brisbane.  I will keep in touch about the timing.

In taking delivery of this Toyota the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service accept full responsibility for all aspects of the running, maintenance and insurance of the vehicle.  It is registered until May 2001 and the registration will be transferred to you at the time you take delivery.