Introduction to Salary Packaging
Saving the Mala
Simplygreen has partnered with Australian Wildlife Conservancy (AWC) to fund vital conservation efforts focused on restoring landscapes and protecting endangered species-including the Mala, a small marsupial once extinct in the wild.
Nature in Crisis. Australia’s Small Mammals Are Disappearing
Across the world, nature is under pressure—and Australia is no exception. In fact, we have one of the highest rates of animal extinction on the planet. Many native species that once thrived across the country have disappeared due to land clearing, changes in fire patterns, and the arrival of feral animals like cats and foxes. But amidst the loss, there are also stories of hope—stories of people stepping in, and nature beginning to bounce back.
Some of the animals hardest hit by these changes are Australia’s small mammals. More than 30 of these native mammal species have gone extinct. Many more now survive only in small, isolated populations—or in specially protected areas.
Image: Australian Wildlife Conservancy/Colin Leonhardt
The Mala’s Decline
The Mala, or rufous hare-wallaby, is one of those species. Once widespread across arid and semi-arid Australia—ranging through Western Australia, the Northern Territory, South Australia and even western Queensland—this small wallaby suffered a dramatic decline. Predation by foxes and cats, combined with habitat loss and increased frequency of wildfires, pushed the species to the brink. By the early 1990s, the last wild population in the Tanami Desert had vanished. The Mala was declared extinct in the wild.
Image: Australian Wildlife Conservancy/Wayne Lawler
Mala need help to survive
in a changed world
Sustainable Salary Packaging Solutions for a Greener Future
How People Stepped In
Luckily, dedicated conservationists stepped in. A small number of Mala had been kept in safe breeding programs, and efforts began to give them a second chance. Australian Wildlife Conservancy (AWC) played a major role. By building safe havens—areas where introduced predators can’t reach—and carefully releasing Mala back into these protected landscapes, AWC and its partners gave them room to recover.
Through our partnership with AWC, Simplygreen is proud to play a part in this recovery—helping fund the conservation work that is giving the Mala a second chance.
AWC's Work Today
Today, AWC is still working to protect the Mala. At places like Newhaven Wildlife Sanctuary in the Northern Territory, they’ve created large predator-free areas where Mala can safely live and breed. These safe havens are carefully managed with fire and land practices that support the needs of small mammals. AWC’s science team monitors how the Mala are doing and makes sure their homes stay safe and healthy.
Image: Australian Wildlife Conservancy/Brad Leue
Mala: Small but Mighty
Cultural Connections
More Than Just Cute
Inspiring Recovery
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