The hidden history of Dasyuroides byrnei : historical range and likely causes of decline during the frontier years in central Australia

Warning: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised this article cites historical material containing outdated and highly offensive terminology when referring to First Nations people. Quotations are reproduced in their historical context for the purpose of critical analysis and documentation. The authors wish to warn readers that text in this article may cause distress. The kowari, Dasyuroides byrnei (Marsupialia: Dasyuridae), is a marsupial micro-predator that occupies the gibber plains of central Australia. Despite its charisma and presumed ecological importance, the kowari remains obscure to both the public and much of the scientific community. Here, we examine its historic occurrence within the context of the expanding frontiers of colonial Australia. We construct a timeline of records and subsequent localised extinctions alongside likely drivers of the kowari’s decline, namely introductions of invasive species and development of pastoral holdings. Specific effort was taken to investigate the integrity of records with uncertain origins that have previously been ignored or dismissed, and to highlight the hidden role the kowari played in stimulating scientific inquiry into the biota of central Australia in the latter half of the twentieth century. These endeavours are presented to broaden scientific understanding of the kowari and promote interest in its history and prospects so that it may represent an icon towards achieving sustainable use of Australia’s stony desert rangelands.