There are probably only about 1,000 adult numbats in the world, and their population decreased by about 20 percent from 2003 to 2008. Without conservation measures, numbats face a serious threat of extinction.
Introduced species, including foxes, rabbits, feral cats and raptors, have all contributed to the rapid decline of the numbat's population. Frequent fires may have destroyed many of the logs that numbats use as nest sites.
The numbat is protected by Australian law, and captive breeding and reintroduction programs have helped to slow the decline of the numbat's population. Numbats are highly dependent on conservation efforts.
Dryandra, in the state of Western Australia, was once one of only two established numbat populations. Recently, their numbers there plummeted rapidly with no known cause.
Conservationists hope to quadruple the numbat's numbers and increase their number of breeding grounds. Introduced predators, including foxes, cats and raptors, must be controlled to ensure the numbat's future survival.