Bilbies are a special type of marsupial known as
peramelids (bandicoots or bilbies). They are rare and considered one of
Australia’s endangered species. Bilbies are roughly the size of a rabbit,
with long, silky, blue-grey fur on their bodies. Their lower limbs and the
end half of their tail are white, while the other half of their tail is
black. Bilbies have long ears, like rabbits. Appropriately, their scientific
name is Macrotis lagotis, which means “hare-eared big-ear”. Bilbies
have a light and delicate build and are able to put on surprising bursts of
speed. They also have powerful forearms that they use to dig for food and to
burrow, (burrows can be as long as 3 metres and nearly 2 metres deep).
Attempts to dig a bilby out of its burrow have often resulted in the animal
making a frantic extension to its burrow in order to escape.
Download and print additional
information on the Wildlife Rehabilitation Project
►in
.pdf format
►in
Word format
Bilbies have poor eyesight but make
up for this with acute hearing and a well-developed sense of smell. They are
shy and nocturnal, generally spending the days in their burrow where it is
cooler and foraging for food at night when the outside temperature drops.
They sleep sitting back upon their tails with their heads tucked down
between their forepaws and ears folded forward along their face. Bilbies may
use a dozen or more different burrows within their home range, with the
entrance to the burrow often disguised near a termite mound, spinifex (small
prickly grass) tussock or small shrub.
Bilbies are omnivorous, eating both protein and vegetable matter, ranging
from insects such as ants and termites and their larvae, to seeds, bulbs,
fruit and fungi. Large amounts of soil are consumed with their food, with 20
to 90% of their excrement being made up of sand. These amazing animals
obtain most of their water from their food, rarely needing to drink.
Marsupials (such as bilbies, kangaroos, wombats and possums) are a special
kind of mammal, differing from other mammals such as bats, rodents and
whales because of the way they produce their young. Marsupials give birth to
tiny, live babies that are naked, blind and have undeveloped hind legs. This
baby uses it forearms to drag itself through its mother’s fur to one of the
nipples, where it latches on, suckling milk and completing its development
until it is ready to venture into the wide world.
Bilbies can breed throughout the year, although breeding depends on
rainfall. Male and female bilbies have been known to mate almost continually
for 24 hours, literally until the point of exhaustion. Although female
bilbies have eight nipples they rarely raise more than two or three babies
at a time. Bilbies have rear opening pouches so that they don’t flick dirt
into their pouches by accident when they are digging. The young remain in
the pouch for 75 to 80 days after birth, after which they remain in a
burrow, being suckled for a further two weeks before becoming independent.
Bilbies can raise up to four litters annually and they usually live for
around six years.
In the late 1800s a large number of bilbies were hunted for their skins. In
the 1900s bilby populations have continued to decrease dramatically due to
fire, habitat degradation, grazing and predation by foxes and feral cats.
Bilbies used to be found across 70% of continental Australia but are now
restricted to around 20% of their former range, living in the driest,
hottest and least fertile desert areas where the introduced predators cannot
survive.
The Wildlife Centre has been breeding bilbies in captivity for eight years,
providing animals to the Department of Conservation and Land Management for
release into the wild across a number of locations in Western Australia,
supplementing the existing populations. To feed 11 bilbies for one week the
Centre needs 35 kg of fruit and vegetables, nearly 1 kg of live mealworms
and 700 grams of pellets.
CHUDITCH
The western quoll, native cat or Chuditch
(choo-ditch) as they are known in an indigenous Australian language (Nyoongar),
are the largest carnivorous marsupials in Western Australia. Chuditch have
soft grey-brown fur with 40-70 white spots randomly scattered over their
head and back, large rounded ears and a pointed muzzle. They also have a
long tail with a dark, brushy end. Males weigh in at around 1.3 kg and
females at just under 1 kg.
They are usually active from dusk to
dawn, foraging for food on the ground, and have been known to occasionally
climb trees in search of prey or to escape from predators. These animals eat
a wide range of food, primarily small invertebrates such as scorpions,
crickets and spiders, although they also eat small mammals (such as woylies,
numbats, rodents and southern brown bandicoots), small lizards, and bird and
reptile eggs. On occasion chuditch supplement their diet with the red pulp
surrounding the Zarnia seed, as well as a variety of small fruits and parts
of flowers.
Chuditch have been found in a wide
variety of habitats from karri, marri and jarrah forests to woodlands,
beaches and deserts. However, they appear to favour woodland, where there
are lots of places to hide and find food. Chuditch generally make their dens
in hollow logs and burrows, although they have been known to make use of
bird nests.
Chuditch are generally solitary
animals. Males can have a home territory of up to 15 km squared and females
of up to 4 km squared however while the males’ territory will often overlap
with that of other males and females, the females’ territory rarely overlaps
with that of other females. Both males and females usually have a ‘core
area’ of their home territory that is defined by their various dens.
Marsupials (such as Chuditch, woylies,
kangaroos, wombats and possums) are a special kind of mammal, differing from
other mammals such as bats, rodents and whales because of the way they
produce their young. Marsupials give birth to tiny, live, babies that are
naked, blind and have undeveloped hind legs. The baby uses its forearms to
drag itself through its mother’s fur to one of the nipples, where it latches
on, suckling milk and completing its development until it is ready to
venture into the wide world.
Chuditch mate from April to July, with a
female mating with several different males over the period of a week to
ensure fertilization. After a gestation period of around 18 days the female
gives birth to between two and six young, each about the size of a grain of
rice. These babies are carried in a rudimentary pouch where they remain for
about 61 days before getting too heavy to be carried while the mother
forages for food. The mother leaves them in one of the dens while she finds
food; by four months old the young are starting to explore outside the den,
learning to hunt without their mother’s help. Within another month or so the
young are fully weaned and begin to leave home, usually around December.
Young Chuditch reach sexual maturity very quickly and it is likely that they
breed in their first year. The average life span for Chuditch is two years
in the wild, although a life span of five and a half years has been recorded
in captivity.
Evidence shows that Chuditch once covered
over 70% of the Australian mainland however today they can only be found in
patchy populations totalling around 6,000 in the south west, mid west and
wheatbelt areas of Western Australia. Chuditch populations have decreased
dramatically since European settlement, largely due to habitat alteration
(especially land clearing and the removal of suitable den sites), frequent
wildfires, predation by raptors, foxes and feral cats and competition for
food with introduced carnivores. Vehicle accidents and poisoning have also
depleted Chuditch populations. Chuditch will raid chicken houses and are
sometimes illegally shot in the more populated areas.
The Centre cares for Chuditch that
have been orphaned or are injured or diseased, rehabilitating the animals
back into their native habitat where possible.
RED KANGAROOS
Red Kangaroos are the largest marsupial
an Australian Emblem, seen in the Qantas symbol. This pouched marsupial can
stand erect, balancing on its 2 powerful hind legs and strong, muscular
tail. The foot of the hind leg is extra long, with 3 forward facing clawed
toes one of which is a syndactyl claw used for grooming. The front legs are
shorter, have 5 claws which are only placed on the ground when foraging. Red
Kangaroos have a narrow head, forward focussing eyes, with a wide field of
vision and large erect ears. Most males have dense, woolly, red fur whereas
females are predominantly grey. They can be distinguished from other
kangaroos by the presence of white markings on the end of the nose. The
underparts are white and there is usually a white stripe from the mouth to
the base of the ear.
Red Kangaroos are mostly nocturnal -
active at night, late evening and early morning. They grazie on green shoots
that are high in fibre and low in nutrition - their forestomach is adapted
for digestion of food rich in cellulose. They can survive without drinking
water, as they get enough from their food. However, they are often seen
drinking at stock water holes during drought.
Red Kangaroos are semi-nomadic, living in
family groups, in central Australia, preferring open plains with scattered
shade trees. They can often be found resting in the shade during the hot
daylight hours. They can survive in temperatures greater than 40°, using
shade and avoiding activity in the day. They can concentrate their urine and
tolerate a certain amount of dehydration. They also pant and lick their arms
to help themselves cool down.
Kangaroos use bi-pedal locomotion. Their
large feet and powerful back legs work together to hop along. Their strong,
muscular tail is used as a counterbalance. They can leap over fences 3m
tall, from a standing start. They can reach speeds of 60 km/h, with
individual strides up to 6 m in length. Hopping away is their main form of
defence. They will often thump the ground with their feet as they flee,
warning the rest of the mob of the danger. They can also balance on their
tail and use their hind legs to kick. Males have slender chests and muscular
biceps and forearms - they use them like hands for fighting (boxing),
grooming and holding food.
Red Kangaroos are found in the hotter
areas of central and northern Australia. Their numbers have increased since
the introduction of European farming practices.
The females are mature at 15—20 months.
The young are born about 33 days after mating and are typically the size of
a jellybean, with forearms. They use their sense of smell to make it
un-assisted to the pouch and attach to a teat. Here they develop hind legs
and tail etc.The Joey weighs less than one gram. It will stay in the pouch
till 5—9 months old. The females mate again after giving birth, but the
embryo remains dormant till the Joey is out of the pouch, at about 10
months. The youngster will stay with mum till about 12— 18 months old.
Kangaroos typically have a 15-year lifespan.
WOYLIES
Brush-tailed bettongs, or woylies as they
are known in the indigenous Australian language (Nyoongar), are energetic,
hopping marsupials. Woylies are small, rabbit-sized animals that resemble
wallabies or kangaroos. They are about 30cm high and weigh around 1.6kg.
Their fur is yellow-grey with reddish
tinges on the tail that ends in a black, furry tuft. Their tail is
prehensile or specially adapted for grasping, grabbing, holding or wrapping
around things; they often carry material back to their nests in their curled
tail. They have very long hind feet and when moving, bound with their head
low and their tail extended as a counterbalance. They are generally slow
moving but can put on bursts of speed. Their forepaws are shorter, with
long, curved claws that they use for digging, searching for food and nest
building.
Woylies prefer forest and woodland where
they can take cover in thick undergrowth, although they like some open areas
for easy feeding. They prefer sandy soils to make digging easier and are not
usually located in areas with higher rainfall. They have individual ranges
that include separate feeding and nesting areas, with feeding areas
overlapping with other woylies. Woylies build elaborate nests under logs,
shrubs and other debris on the forest floor, using bark, twigs, grass and
leaf litter as construction materials.
These animals are nocturnal and go
foraging for bulbs, seeds and insects at night and sleep during the day.
They don’t eat any green plant material and do not drink as they obtain all
their water from their food. Underground fungi form a large part of their
diet and spores from the fungus are later excreted. The fungi form
associations with plants, living in roots from which they obtain their food
and in return they assist the plant in extracting nutrients from fairly poor
quality soils. By spreading the spores in their droppings woylies play an
important role in the forest ecosystem.
Woylies, like some other marsupials, can
carry a baby in the pouch while at the same time having an embryo in the
womb awaiting birth. This means that they can produce young all year round
throughout their life. Females start breeding at six months and reproduce
approximately once every 100 days; they are prolific breeders in a stable
habitat. Baby woylies live in the pouch for around 90 days and then spend a
number of weeks at their mother’s heel.
When female woylies are under stress they
have been known to eject their young from the pouch, providing an easy meal
and distraction for their predators and ensuring the female survives to
reproduce again and raise the embryo that she may already be carrying;
unfortunately this protective mechanism usually results in the death of the
ejected offspring, Woylies live for four to six years.
Evidence from Aboriginal people and
early settlers show that the woylie population and range has been
dramatically decreased since European settlement in Australia. They were
once spread across much of Australia and by 1975 were restricted to three
small groups in Western Australia. This was largely due to habitat
degradation, predation by foxes and feral cats, and possibly disease. With
research, predator reduction and reintroduction programs this has been
increased to ten flourishing populations, including four groups in South
Australia. As a direct result of conservation actions in 1996 they were the
first species in Australia to be deleted from lists of threatened species.
The Centre has been breeding woylies
in captivity for a number of years, passing 50 groups of woylies to the
Department of Conservation and Land Management for release into the wild.
ECHIDNAS
Echidnas (also called Spiny Ant Eaters)
are a special type of mammal that lays eggs, known as a monotreme.
Monotreme means “one hole” and refers to the rear passage through which
these animals urinate, pass excrement and lay their eggs. There are only
three monotreme species in the entire world: the short-beaked echidna and
the platypus (both of which are found in Australia) and the long-beaked
echidna found in New Guinea.
The short-beaked echidna is found all
over Australia in a very wide range of habitats from the snow to the desert.
It is one of the world’s most adaptable and versatile animals - echidnas in
cold climates dealing with low temperatures by going into hibernation (or
torpor) and dropping their body temperature; echidnas in arid regions taking
shelter from high temperatures in caves or burrows and venturing out at
night time when it cools slightly. Echidnas are thought to be about as smart
as a rat - only slightly less intelligent than a cat.
Echidnas are covered in coarse hair,
with the upper side of its body also covered in prickly spines. Each of the
spines are formed from a single hair and together they form an effective
defense against predators. The spines are light yellow with black tips and
may be over 6 cm long. When threatened on hard ground they will roll into a
ball with their spines facing outwards.
They have very strong claws and short
legs, enabling them to dig quickly into the ground if they are threatened on
soil, or to dig open ant and termite nests. They can move objects (like
rocks and logs) over twice their own weight and are known for their strength
rather than their speed. Two long claws on the echidna’s hind foot are used
for grooming between its long spines. The male echidna also has a spur on
each ankle, like the platypus, only its spurs have no venom gland attached
to it. It is not widely known that echidna can swim, using their rubbery
beak as a type of snorkel. Echidnas are usually solitary and quite shy,
finding shelter in rotten logs, burrows, stumps and under bushes.
The tip of an echidna’s snout is
sensitive to electric signals given out by insects. They dig open ant or
termite nests for food, probing the area with their sticky, 17 cm tongue.
They then pull their tongue back into their mouth, crushing them between the
horny plates on its tongue and the roof of its mouth. Termites are up to 80%
water and ants are up to 64% water, making termites the preferred food
source in drier regions, although echidnas are sometimes also seen drinking.
Echidnas mate between June and September.
Up to ten males form a “train” (echidnas lined up nose to rear) that follows
a female around for around four weeks. The males push and shove each other,
with the most persistent eventually breeding with the female. Echidnas breed
belly-to-belly so that the male avoids impaling himself on her spines.
Monotremes lay leathery-shelled eggs,
with the echidna laying its single egg about 14 days after mating. The egg
is incubated in her pouch for 10 days before it hatches and the baby - or
“puggle” — is born. It comes out naked, blind and with undeveloped hind
legs. The puggle uses its forelimbs to drag itself to its mother’s belly
where it suckles on a patch of where milk oozes onto the skin. The baby
stays in the pouch until its spines develop (at about three months), after
which it is left in a nursery burrow. The mother returns to suckle the young
every five to 10 days, with the puggle drinking around 20% of its body
weight in each feed. The baby increases its total body weight 500 times in
the first 45 days and leaves the burrow at 6 to 12 months old.
Echidnas have no significant
predators, although they have been known to be eaten by dingos and foxes.
Their young are sometimes also eaten by goannas. Unfortunately echidnas are
often killed on roads by vehicles. The Centre has two echidnas, one of which
was hand raised from a puggle. They form pail of the educational program,
visiting schools and community centres. Echidnas have been known to live
over 50 years in captivity.
TAWNY FROGMOUTHS
Tawny Frogmouths are often confused with
owls but actually belong to the Night Jar family of birds. They were given
their name because of their tawny (light brown, brown-orange) colouring and
their wide frog-like mouths. “Tawnies” are masters of disguise, often
tipping their heads up and forward to imitate a tree branch. With their
marbled grey and black mottles and streaks they blend in well with the bark
of trees. Most species are dichromatic, meaning they have two colour phases
(in this case ruddy brown and grey) not associated with season, gender or
age. They have large, homed, triangular, hooked beaks that are topped with a
tuft of bristly feathers and striking golden coloured eyes. Their legs are
short, with small, weak feet.
Tawny frogmouths are nocturnal and have
an unusual call that sounds like a low drumming hoot or a deep grunting “oom-oom-oom”;
this sound is repeated through the night. They have also been known to make
a very low frequency sound that some humans are not able to hear without a
listening device, but that other birds can hear quite some distance away.
During the day “tawnies” generally sleep in their “branch” pose.
“Tawnies” eat a range of insects, worms,
slugs, small mammals, reptiles, frogs and birds, feeding just after dusk and
again just before dawn. They are good hunters and are able to catch a moth
in flight or pounce from a tree to the wound to catch a meal; usually they
sit and wait for their prey to come to them. They catch their prey with the
beaks, rather than their talons, making them quite different from the owls
they are sometimes mistaken for. Unfortunately they like to hunt near lights
where there are lots of insects and so they are often hit by cars.
Tawny frogmouths mate for life, the pair
remaining together until one of them dies. They breed from August to
December, making a nest out of loose sticks covered in green leaves, moss or
their own feathers in the fork of a tree branch. The nests are well
camouflaged and are generally reused year after year, with some annual
repairs. The female usually lays two to three white eggs, each one laid 1-3
nights apart from the other. Both the male and female sit on the eggs,
usually the female by night and the male by day, with the eggs hatching
after 30 days. Young chicks are covered with a soft down right from hatching
and are fed and cared for by both parents. Young “tawnies” are very clean,
moving to the edge of the nest and pooing over the side to prevent their
home becoming fouled. They stay in the nest until they are able to fly 25 to
32 days after hatching.
Tawny frogmouths can be found across
Australia, including treed areas of the Perth metropolitan area - although
they are often hard to spot. The Centre has two tawny frogmouths that share
a large enclosure. They form part of the educational program, visiting
schools and community centres.
MALAS
Malas (or Rufous Hare-Wallabies) are a
special type of marsupial known as macropods, meaning “great-footed animals”
This name is given to kangaroos, wallabies, bettongs and other marsupials
with powerful hind legs and long feet. Macropods’ second and third toes of
their hind foot are also joined together.
Malas obtained their common name rufous
hare-wallaby from their resemblance to the hare and the rufous colour of
their fur. Rufous is defined as a strong yellowish pink to moderate orange
colour, or reddish colour. Malas are one of four sub-species of
hare-wallabies and are considered to be rare and vulnerable.
Malas weigh about 1.5 kg and are covered
in long, soft fur. The fur is a yellow-pink or reddish colour on top, fading
to a paler shade underneath. They have long, powerful back legs that they
use to hop on when moving at speed. When flushed from their burrows malas
move with an explosive burst of energy in a zig zag pattern, often making a
high pitched nasal squeak at the same time. Macropods, like the mala, cannot
move their hind legs alternately (i.e. both legs must move together) and
they have difficulty in moving backwards.
Malas are herbivores, eating herbs,
grasses, seed husks, seeds, bulbs, and grazing on other low plants, although
they have been known to eat insects during dry periods. Malas can go for
some time without drinking water, making them ideally adapted to the hot,
dry conditions in which they live.
The Australian Mala population has
decreased dramatically since the l930s, from being one of the most common
and widespread macropods of central Australia to one of the rarest. This
decrease has resulted largely from habitat degradation due to rabbits and
grazing, and wildfire. Predation by cats and foxes has decimated any
remaining mainland populations. The current distribution of malas in the
wild is restricted to only two small islands off the coast of Western
Australia, Dorre and Bernier Islands. Encouragingly, whilst populations on
these islands fluctuate due to drought, fire and rainfall there has been no
overall decline. This may be largely due to the absence of feral predators
on the islands.
Malas prefer dunes, grasslands and
spinifex (a prickly grass) habitats. During the day they shelter from the
heat in shallow dips dug under spinifex and small bushes, during the high
beat of summer sometimes even converting this dip to a short burrow. Burrows
are usually around one metre long and 30 cm deep with one entrance. Malas
may use a number of different burrows within their territory, rarely
interacting with other Malas.
Marsupials (such as malas, kangaroos,
wombats and possums) are a special kind of mammal, differing from other
mammals such as bats, rodents and whales because of the way they produce
their young. Marsupials give birth to tiny, live, babies that are naked,
blind and have undeveloped hind legs. This baby uses its forearms to drag
itself through its mother’s fur to one of the nipples, where it latches on,
suckling milk and completing its development until it is ready to venture
into the wide world. Marsupial babies may be protected during their
development by a pouch or folds of skin.
Baby Malas remain in the pouch for only
124 days, allowing females to produce up to three offspring per year. In the
wild this number is generally closer to one or two. When female Malas are
under stress they have been known to eject their young from the pouch,
providing an easy meal and distraction for their predators and ensuring the
female survives to reproduce again and raise the embryo that she may already
be carrying; unfortunately this protective mechanism usually results in the
death of the ejected offspring.
The Centre has a male and female
mala and hope to breed and hand rear young in the near future. Malas are
difficult to breed in captivity and the current breeding pair have had at
least one miscarriage in recent times. To feed two Malas for one week, 7 kg
of fruit and vegetables, a handful of nuts and a handful of muesli is
needed.
BOBTAIL LIZARDS
Depending on which part of Australia you
live in Bobtail lizards are also known as the Shingleback Lizard, Sleepy
Lizard, Pine Cone Lizard, Bog-eye Lizard, Stump-Tail Lizard, Blue-tongue
Lizard, Stumpies or Bobbies; giving them more common names than any other
Australian animal.
Bobtails are found across much of
Australia, particularly the drier regions. As a species they cope with
temperatures ranging from approximately 7°C to 40°C.
They grow to approximately 40cm, weigh
800 grams, have a blunt, triangular shaped head, a wide mouth and large,
bumpy scales varying from dark brown to mid brown to pale cream. They have a
large, fleshy blue tongue and when threatened, turn towards the threat, open
their mouth wide and stick out their blue tongue. This contrasts vividly
with their pink mouth and this, together with their large head is intended
to scare the attacker. Bobtails may also hiss and flatten out their body,
making them took bigger. They may bite when frightened, bruising and
breaking the skin, however they are not dangerous or poisonous.
Their tail is broad and stumpy, similar
in size and shape to its head to confuse predators. It is also used as a fat
storage area so that after a good season the bobtail can go without food for
many months. A bobtail in poor condition will have a very flat tail.
Bobtails are omnivorous, eating a wide range of soft plant and animal
matter, including leaves, fruit, flowers, insects, worms, eggs and insect
larvae.
Bobtails live in open country with lots
of ground cover such as grass or leaf litter. They emerge early in the
morning to bask in the sun, before foraging for food in the warmer part of
the day. Like all lizards they rely on external heat sources to heat their
blood and an active Bobbie maintains a temperature of 30°C to 35°C. They
spend much of the winter and colder times relatively inactive, making the
most of the warmer weather during spring and summer to breed.
Bobtails mate for life — making them
unique amongst reptiles. They pair up at the end of spring and spend 6-8
weeks together before actual mating takes place. During this time they move
about together and even share the same living quarters — spending about 75%
of their time together. The gestation period is around three to five months
after which time the females give birth to live young (rather than laying
eggs as most reptiles do), the mother carrying a baby lengthwise along
either side of her spine. Their placenta is as developed as that of many
mammals. Generally one or two, occasionally three, young are born. Babies
can be born very quickly and, once they have clambered out of the birth sac,
are quickly mobile, eating the afterbirth as a quick source of nutrition.
Within a few days of birth they shed their skin for the first time and
disperse. They have been known to live to approximately 30 years.
As with many Australian native
animals, their habitat is threatened by clearing and development. In the
wild they are predated upon by snakes, large birds (eg. kookaburras), also
by foxes, cats and dogs. The Centre receives many bobtails for
rehabilitation, often as the result of lawnmower accidents, dog or cat
attack, car accident, ticks, snail pellets or “Bobtail flu”. This flu has
been noticed in Western Australian bobtail populations over the last four to
five years it is estimated to have decimated the local populations by up to
50%. Bobtails that receive treatment generally respond well, with roughly
85% surviving and being rehabilitated back into the wild.
QUENDAS
Quendas (also called Southern Brown
Bandicoots or Short Nosed Southern Bandicoots) are marsupials, although the
word “bandicoot is Indonesian for “rat”. Quendas are similar in size to
rabbits, although the larger males can reach 2.5 kg. They have large
hindquarters but their bodies narrow to long, pointed snout. They have much
smaller and more rounded ears than bilbies, as well as coarse, water
resistant outer coats and soft fur undercoats. Their fur is usually dark
grey-brown with yellowish flecks. Quenda tails are short and lightly furred
with dark brown hairs; however many individual animals have stumpy tails -
perhaps as a result of disputes with other Quendas or being nibbled off by
their nest-mates. They have long, sturdy claws and the hind foot has two
toes joined together to form a grooming claw.
Quendas are found in a variety of forest,
heath and scrubland habitats and prefer areas where the undergrowth is dense
(for cover) and located near water and wetlands. They can survive well in
open areas, provided introduced predators are controlled. They are not
strictly nocturnal so it is possible to see them during the day.
Quendas are omnivorous, eating both
protein and vegetable matter, ranging from insects such as ants and termites
and their larvae, to earthworms, to seeds, bulbs, roots and fruit. They
obtain most of their food by digging and their diet changes with the seasons
as different foods become available.
They built well-concealed nests using
leaves, grass, soil and other materials. They usually nest in shallow
depressions, often amongst fallen debris or low bushes and their nests have
loose regions at both ends to allow for entry and exit. They have also been
known to use old rabbit burrows as their nests. They are generally solitary
and occupy distinctive home ranges; although there may be considerable
overlap with other Quendas.
Marsupials (such as Quendas, kangaroos,
wombats and possums) are a special kind of mammal, differing from other
mammals such as bats, rodents and whales because of the way they produce
their young. Marsupials give birth to tiny, live, babies that are naked,
blind and have undeveloped hind legs. This baby uses its forearms to drag
itself through its mother’s fur to one of the nipples, where it latches on,
suckling milk and completing its development until it is ready to venture
into the wide world.
Breeding can occur throughout the year,
although most young are born through winter to summer. Unlike other
marsupials, Quendas have a form of placenta, with the babies anchored to the
inside of the womb by cords. After birth these act as climbing ropes as the
newborns clamber into the pouch. A female Quenda has eight nipples usually
rears five or six young, although it is unusual for more than two or three
to survive to weaning. The pouch opens to the rear to prevent dirt, sticks
and other debris entering when they are moving about. Unfortunately as the
mother moves through the thick undergrowth babies have been known to fall
out of the pouch and be left behind. The young develop quickly and become
independent after about two months. They reach sexual maturity soon
thereafter. Females may produce three or four litters in a breeding season.
Quendas live three to four years.
In Western Australia Quendas are
threatened species, often preyed upon by foxes and cats and, where they feed
on road verges, hit by road vehicles. Clearing for farming and urban
expansion has considerably reduced its range. Despite this Quendas are
sometimes seen near urban areas and even in backyards.
The Centre looks after a number of
Quendas through the year, especially young Quendas that may have fallen out
of the pouch. Young animals are very curious and relatively tame, becoming
more independent as they grow older. Young Quendas love drinking their
special milk formula and are master escape artists. To feed a Quenda for a
week a handful of muesli and nuts, 2 kg of fruit and vegetables and 70 grams
of live mealworms are needed.
Suite 2A, Caravelle House, 17/19 Goring
Road, Worthing,
West Sussex, BN12 4AP, England
Tel: +44 (0)1903 502595 Fax: +44 (0)1903 708179
Email:
info@travellersworldwide.com
.
+44 01903 502595
