Mining giant Xstrata has joined forces with the Queensland government to protect one of the 10 most endangered mammals in the world.
A $3 million project involving Xstrata and Queensland's Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) aims to boost numbers of the northern hairy-nosed wombat.
The wombat is the second most endangered mammal in Australia and one of the top 10 most endangered mammals in the world.
It is currently restricted to one location, Epping Forest National Park near Clermont, in central Queensland.
The EPA estimates there are only 115 of the animals left and having them all in one location puts them at risk of disease, fire, drought, predators or flooding.
The project will relocate some of the wombats to a new colony at Yarran Downs near St George, in southern Queensland.
"Through our financial contribution, the EPA will now have the resources to help prevent these magnificent animals from becoming yet another footnote in our natural history," Xstrata Australia chairman Peter Coates said.
The new site will be protected by a six kilometre electric fence and the wombats will be monitored by researchers with computers, genetic profiling equipment and infrared cameras.
