Seven Maremmas will be purchased, trained and used to patrol three colonies of eastern barred bandicoot which will be released from captivity into the wild across western Victoria.

The first site will be on a Darlington farm.

If the dogs can prevent foxes and cats from slaughtering the tiny animals, a similar protection scheme is likely to be rolled out for other endangered species across Australia.

Planning has been guided by advice from Warrnambool district resident Dave Williams, who was involved in the initial penguin trial in 2006.

The concept will be aired at an international conference in India next week by Zoos Victoria director of wildlife conservation and science, Rachel Lowry.

“We were inspired by the environmental implications of Warrnambool’s successful project,” Ms Lowry told The Standard yesterday.

“I gave Dave a call and he said ‘I think it could work, what have we got to lose?’ He said we’d need five years to see if it worked.

“We also contacted Dr Linda van Bommel of the Australian National University, who is regarded as an expert in livestock guardian dogs, and she also said we should give it a try.”

After approval by the zoos’ advisory committee, a proposed five-year project was costed out at about $580,000.

Fund-raising will start soon with a special Christmas appeal, followed by the purchase of the first three pups in April, intensive training and release into the trial site in 2017. They will progressively been introduced to their future Darlington home from an early age.

One dog will be used as a mascot in promoting the bold experiment.

Dr Lowry said the only surviving eastern barred bandicoots were in captivity.

“They are extinct in the wild on the mainland because of predators. For example, a reserve at Hamilton lost its entire population recently.

“There are about 20 priority endangered species in Victoria which will be extinct in the next 10 years if we don’t do anything.

“Across Australia there would be many more.”

At Darlington 40 bandicoots will be released into a 40-hectare trial site where the dogs will roam, hopefully warding off predators. A further two sites are yet to be selected.

“Guard dogs may give endangered species a chance to learn to adapt and survive,” Dr Lowry said.

“We also want to publish a scientific paper on the trial showing if the dogs keep foxes out, if they change foxes’ behaviour and if  sheep can be grazed alongside bandicoots.”

pcollins@fairfaxmedia.com.au