FOR the first time in almost 60 years, Victorian authorities are attempting an island rescue of an endangered species.

Considered extinct in the wild since 1991, the rabbit-sized eastern barred bandicoot has been introduced to French Island - 80 kilometres south-east of Melbourne in Western Port Bay.

The release of 18 animals in July began an ambitious 12-month trial to establish if the grasslands of French Island would provide suitable habitat. Chief among the island's appeal is that it is fox-free.

Early results from the trial, released to Fairfax Media, indicate mixed success. While the animals maintained body weight and the island's large feral cat population accounted for just two of the nine deaths, the results threw up an unforeseen problem: a parasitic disease known as toxoplasmosis, which is spread by cats.