DOCSLIB.ORG

Eastern Barred Bandicoots

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Eastern Barred Bandicoots the ground. They can turn over up to 13kg Island Ark of soil each night! This behaviour makes them Fox-free islands, such as Phillip Island, excellent ‘ecosystem engineers’ which means provide the best long-term opportunity to they play an important role in maintaining the save this special species from extinction soil structure of their habitats, helping to create by allowing populations to thrive in the healthy and functioning ecosystems. wild. Using islands as threatened species reintroduction sites helps to mitigate the Habitat issues of predation by introduced predators, A mixture of grasslands and woodlands such as foxes, by providing a safe, fox-free provides the highly complex habitat preferred area that is protected by a large water barrier. by Eastern Barred Bandicoots. For nesting, the bandicoots use their clawed forepaws to Securing a brighter future scrape out a depression which they line with In August 2015, 20 male and female grass. These nests are tucked away under bandicoots were released onto Churchill tussocks of grass to protect the bandicoots Island (off Phillip Island) which is fox, cat during the day while they sleep. and rabbit free. In less than two years, the population reached around 120 individuals Eastern Diet and has now stabilised. In 2017, 67 male Eastern Barred Bandicoots are omnivorous and female bandicoots were translocated though primarily insectivorous. At night, they to the Summerland Peninsula on Phillip Barred use their strong claws and pointed nose to Island where they share their home with dig for insects and worms, leaving many small Little Penguins, Cape Barren Geese, Swamp Bandicoot cone-shaped holes in the soil. They also may Wallabies and other native wildlife, but eat onion-grass bulbs and fallen fruits. also feral cats. Despite the presence of (Perameles gunnii) cats however, regular monitoring by Phillip Breeding Island Nature Parks scientists and volunteers These marsupials have a very rapid breeding has found this bandicoot population is cycle. Gestation is 12.5 days, with one to healthy and going strong. These significant three young in each litter. Females can conservation efforts in partnership with produce up to five litters a year! The young several key organisations aim to recover the stay in their mother’s pouch for 55 days species and prevent extinction by establishing Species Profile before they wean. About 35 days later they a Victorian population of 2500 individuals. Fun facts! Animalia - Mammalia disperse to start lives of their own. Bandicoot guardians contribute to securing a WEIGHT: 600 - 800g The Eastern Barred Bandicoot’s Threatened Species brighter future for these critically endangered marsupials by supporting these population scientific name (Perameles LENGTH: 400mm (approximately) The Eastern Barred Bandicoot was originally recovery efforts on Phillip Island gunnii) means “Gunns Pouched LIFESPAN: 2-3 years. found in southern Australia with a distinct sub-species occurring in Tasmania and on badger”. This demonstrates STATUS: Endangered on mainland mainland Australia in Victoria and South Eastern Barred Bandicoot how early British explorers Australia. Australia. The mainland sub-species is Conservation Partners attempted to classify Australian listed as endangered under the Environment • Phillip Island Nature Parks Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act fauna into species groups that Eastern Barred Bandicoots • Eastern Barred Bandicoot Recovery Team Eastern Barred Bandicoots (Perameles gunnii) 1999, and is Extinct in the Wild in Victoria they were familiar with back at are a nocturnal insectivorous mammal that meaning that they only occur in managed or home (i.e. badgers) even though once flourished in south-western Victoria’s fenced populations (Victorian Advisory List of Threatened Species 2013). the bandicoot is not related to native grasslands and woodlands. They are a small brown-grey mammal with distinctive badgers in any way. white bars across their rump. At night, Eastern Threats Barred Bandicoots emerge from nests built Key threats including predation by the European in dense tussock grasses and scrub to forage red fox (Vulpes vulpes) and the loss of almost for insects by digging many conical holes into all of its native habitat from human activities penguinfoundation.org.au has driven Eastern Barred Bandicoot decline. .
Load more

Recommended publications
  • BANDICOTA INDICA, the BANDICOOT RAT 3.1 The
    CHAPTER THREE BANDICOTA INDICA, THE BANDICOOT RAT 3.1 The Living Animal 3.1.1 Zoology Rats and mice (family Muridae) are the most common and well-known rodents, not only of the fi elds, cultivated areas, gardens, and storage places but especially so of the houses. Though there are many genera and species, their general appearance is pretty the same. Rats are on average twice as large as mice (see Chapter 31). The bandicoot is the largest rat on the Indian subcontinent, with a body and head length of 30–40 cm and an equally long tail; this is twice as large as the black rat or common house rat (see section 3.1.2 below). This large size immediately distinguishes the bandicoot from other rats. Bandicoots have a robust form, a rounded head, large rounded or oval ears, and a short, broad muzzle. Their long and naked scaly tail is typical of practically all rats and mice. Bandicoots erect their piles of long hairs and grunt when excited. Bandicoots are found practically on the whole of the subcontinent from the Himalayas to Cape Comorin, including Sri Lanka, but they are not found in the deserts and the semi-arid zones of north-west India. Here, they are replaced by a related species, the short-tailed bandicoot (see section 3.1.2 below). The bandicoot is essentially parasitic on man, living in or about human dwellings. They cause a lot of damage to grounds and fl oorings because of their burrowing habits; they also dig tunnels through bricks and masonry.
    [Show full text]
  • Size Relationship of the Tympanic Bullae and Pinnae in Bandicoots and Bilbies (Marsupialia: Peramelemorphia)
    Size Relationship of the Tympanic Bullae and Pinnae in Bandicoots and Bilbies (Marsupialia: Peramelemorphia) by Melissa Taylor BSc This thesis is presented for the degree of Bachelor of Science Honours, School of Veterinary and Life Sciences, of Murdoch University Perth, Western Australia, 2019 Author’s Declaration I declare that this thesis is my own account of my research and contains as its main content work which has not previously been submitted for a degree at any tertiary education institution. Melissa Taylor iii Abstract Hearing is an important factor allowing species to obtain information about their environment. Variation in tympanic bullae and external pinnae morphology has been linked with hearing sensitivity and sound localisation in different mammals. Bandicoots and bilbies (Order Peramelemorphia) typically occupy omnivorous niches across a range of habitats from open, arid deserts to dense, tropical forests in Australia and New Guinea. The morphology of tympanic bullae and pinnae varies between peramelemorphian taxa. Little is known about the relationship between these structures, or the extent to which they vary with respect to aspects of ecology, environment or behaviour. This thesis investigated the relationship between tympanic bulla and pinna size in 29 species of bandicoot and bilby. Measurements were taken from museum specimens to investigate this relationship using direct measuring methods and linear dimensions. It was hypothesised that an inverse relationship between bullae and pinnae may exist and that species residing in arid regions would have more extreme differences. Environmental variables were examined to determine the level of influence they had on bullae and pinnae. This study found that there was a phylogenetic correlation between the structures and that they were significantly influenced by temperature (max/average) and precipitation (average).
    [Show full text]
  • Threatened Species Mammals Property Planning Guide
    LANDHOLDER SERIES - PROPERTY PLANNING GUIDE LANDHOLDER SERIES THREATENED SPECIES MAMMALS PROPERTY PLANNING GUIDE THREATENED SPECIES - MAMMALS There are 33 native terrestrial and 41 marine The main threats to mammals are via disease (e.g. Facial tumour disease mammals which are known to occur in in Tasmanian Devils, aquatic fungus Mucoramphiborum in Platypus or Tasmania, of these, 7 marine mammals and toxoplasmosis from cats), road kill and predation from foxes and cats. The clearance of native vegetation and inappropriate use of fire are also 3 terrestrial mammals are threatened under contributing to the decline in the range and/or populations of native state and federal law. mammals in Tasmania. EXAMPLES OF THREATENED MAMMALS OF TASMANIA EXAMPLES OF THREATENED MAMMALS OF TASMANIA State status Commonwealth status (TSPA listing) (EPBCA listing) Thylacinus cynocephalus Thylacine X EX Perameles gunnii gunnii Eastern-barred Bandicoot VU Dasyurus maculatus maculatus Spotted-tailed Quoll R VU Pseudomys novaehollandiae New Holland Mouse E VU Sarcophilus harrisii Tasmanian Devil E EN Vombatus ursinus ursinus Common Wombat VU TSPA: E=Endangered, V=Vulnerable. EPBCA: EN=Endangered, CR=Critically Endangered, VU=Vulnerable. See Threatened Species Management Fact sheet for further explanation. TASMANIAN DEVIL There is no doubt that persecution led to the extinction of the Thylacine in Tasmania and the process may have been accelerated by a distemper-type disease. The second largest marsupial carnivore the Tasmanian Devil, whilst also suffering some persecution, exacerbated by road-kill, is now also under dire threat from the facial tumour disease. This species is listed as endangered under both the Tasmanian Threatened Species Protection Act 1995 and Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.
    [Show full text]
  • Ba3444 MAMMAL BOOKLET FINAL.Indd
    Intot Obliv i The disappearing native mammals of northern Australia Compiled by James Fitzsimons Sarah Legge Barry Traill John Woinarski Into Oblivion? The disappearing native mammals of northern Australia 1 SUMMARY Since European settlement, the deepest loss of Australian biodiversity has been the spate of extinctions of endemic mammals. Historically, these losses occurred mostly in inland and in temperate parts of the country, and largely between 1890 and 1950. A new wave of extinctions is now threatening Australian mammals, this time in northern Australia. Many mammal species are in sharp decline across the north, even in extensive natural areas managed primarily for conservation. The main evidence of this decline comes consistently from two contrasting sources: robust scientifi c monitoring programs and more broad-scale Indigenous knowledge. The main drivers of the mammal decline in northern Australia include inappropriate fi re regimes (too much fi re) and predation by feral cats. Cane Toads are also implicated, particularly to the recent catastrophic decline of the Northern Quoll. Furthermore, some impacts are due to vegetation changes associated with the pastoral industry. Disease could also be a factor, but to date there is little evidence for or against it. Based on current trends, many native mammals will become extinct in northern Australia in the next 10-20 years, and even the largest and most iconic national parks in northern Australia will lose native mammal species. This problem needs to be solved. The fi rst step towards a solution is to recognise the problem, and this publication seeks to alert the Australian community and decision makers to this urgent issue.
    [Show full text]
  • Season of the Marsupial Bandicoot, Isoodon Macrourus R
    Influence of melatonin on the initiation of the breeding season of the marsupial bandicoot, Isoodon macrourus R. T. Gemmell Department of Anatomy, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Brisbane, Queensland 4067, Australia Summary. Melatonin implants were administered to 6 female bandicoots during the months of May and July. These animals, together with 6 control bandicoots were housed in large outside enclosures with mature males. Births were observed in the 6 control animals from 26 July to 2 September, but no births were observed in the 6 bandicoots with melatonin implants. These results would suggest that photoperiod, which is known to influence melatonin concentrations, may be a factor in the initiation of births in the bandicoot. However, the gradual build-up of births would suggest that other factors such as temperature and rainfall may also have some influence. Introduction The bandicoots which reside along the Eastern Australian coast are all seasonally breeding marsupials, most of the births occurring in the spring and summer months (Heinsohn, 1966; Gordon, 1971; Stoddart & Braithwaite, 1979; Gemmell, 1982; Barnes & Gemmell, 1984). The cycle of breeding activity is more pronounced as the latitude increases. In Tasmania, Victoria and New South Wales definite periods of non-breeding or anoestrus were observed, but in Queensland lactating northern brown bandicoots (Isoodon macrourus) were observed throughout the year (Hall, 1983), although there was a decrease in breeding during the months April to June (Gemmell, 1982, 1986b). This reduction in the degree of seasonality of reproduction in the bandicoot as the latitude decreases would indicate that the bandicoot is exhibiting a 'high degree of flexibility and opportunism associated with the breeding of most small mammals' (Bronson, 1985).
    [Show full text]
  • Predicting Suitable Release Sites for Assisted Colonisations: a Case Study of Eastern Barred Bandicoots
    Predicting suitable release sites for assisted colonisations: a case study of eastern barred bandicoots Citation: Rendall, Anthony R, Coetsee, Amy L and Sutherland, Duncan R 2018, Predicting suitable release sites for assisted colonisations: a case study of eastern barred bandicoots, Endangered species research, vol. 36, pp. 137-148. DOI: http://www.dx.doi.org/10.3354/esr00893 ©2018, The Authors Reproduced by Deakin University under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Licence Downloaded from DRO: http://hdl.handle.net/10536/DRO/DU:30111470 DRO Deakin Research Online, Deakin University’s Research Repository Deakin University CRICOS Provider Code: 00113B Vol. 36: 137–148, 2018 ENDANGERED SPECIES RESEARCH Published July 10 https://doi.org/10.3354/esr00893 Endang Species Res OPENPEN ACCESSCCESS Predicting suitable release sites for assisted colonisations: a case study of eastern barred bandicoots Anthony R. Rendall1,*, Amy L. Coetsee2, Duncan R. Sutherland1 1Research Department, Phillip Island Nature Parks, Cowes, 3922 Victoria, Australia 2Wildlife Conservation and Science, Zoos Victoria, Elliott Avenue, Parkville, 3052 Victoria, Australia ABSTRACT: Assisted colonisations are increasingly being used to recover endangered or func- tionally extinct species. High quality habitat at release sites is known to improve the success of assisted colonisations, but defining high quality habitat can be challenging when species no longer inhabit their historical range. A partial solution to this problem is to quantify habitat use at release sites, and use results to inform assisted colonisation in the future. In this study, we quanti- fied habitat use by the eastern barred bandicoot Perameles gunnii, functionally extinct on the Australian mainland, immediately after translocation to an island ecosystem.
    [Show full text]
  • Northen Brown Bandicoots in the NT Receive a Helping Hand Sophie
    Northern brown bandicoots in the Northern Territory recieve a helping hand ! By Sophie Moles Recent research has created useful diagnostic resources to evaluate the health of wild northern brown bandicoots in the Top End, NT. The northern brown bandicoot is a native terrestrial marsupial found in the northern and eastern parts of Australia, including New Guinea. The northern brown bandicoot is considered one of the most common bandicoot species, however in recent years has faced threats including predation and fire within the Northern Territory (NT), the geographic focus of this study. Given the significant declines of other marsupials within the NT, such as the Northern Quoll, pre-emptive strategies like the consolidation of health data for the northern brown bandicoot should aid the management of this species. This study used blood, collected in previous fieldwork, from 81 wild northern brown bandicoots in the Top End of the NT to create reference intervals (RI) which are a range of normal values which blood results are compared against to indicate health status, with values outside RI suggestive of ill-health. As previously no RI existed for wild northern brown bandicoots within the Top End, and although RI were established for other bandicoot species, species-specific RI are a more accurate tool to detect disease. This study reported RI, the 2.5th and 97.5th percentile, as well as summary statistics for the entire cohort, and for male and female northern brown bandicoots, as seven blood components were identified as significantly different between the sexes. As for RI, no morphological description of white blood cells existed for this species.
    [Show full text]
  • Thylacomyidae
    FAUNA of AUSTRALIA 25. THYLACOMYIDAE KEN A. JOHNSON 1 Bilby–Macrotis lagotis [F. Knight/ANPWS] 25. THYLACOMYIDAE DEFINITION AND GENERAL DESCRIPTION The family Thylacomyidae is a distinctive member of the bandicoot superfamily Perameloidea and is represented by two species, the Greater Bilby, Macrotis lagotis, and the Lesser Bilby, M. leucura. The Greater Bilby is separated from the Lesser Bilby by its greater size: head and body length 290–550 mm versus 200–270 mm; tail 200–290 mm versus 120–170 mm; and weight 600–2500 g versus 311–435 g respectively (see Table 25.1). The dorsal pelage of the Greater Bilby is blue-grey with two variably developed fawn hip stripes. The tail is black around the full circumference of the proximal third, contrasting conspicuously with the pure white distal portion, which has an increasingly long dorsal crest. The Lesser Bilby displays a delicate greyish tan above, described by Spencer (1896c) as fawn-grey and lacks the pure black proximal portion in the tail. Rather, as its specific name implies, the tail is white throughout, although a narrow band of slate to black hairs is present on the proximal third of the length. Finlayson (1935a) noted that the Greater Bilby lacks the strong smell of the Lesser Bilby. The skull of the Lesser Bilby is distinguished from the Greater Bilby by its smaller size (basal length 60-66 mm versus 73–104 mm; [Troughton 1932; Finlayson 1935a]), the more inflated and smoother tympanic bullae (Spencer 1896c), the absence of a fused sagittal crest in old males and the distinctly more cuspidate character in the crowns in the unworn molars (Finlayson 1935a).
    [Show full text]
  • Rodent Control in India
    Integrated Pest Management Reviews 4: 97–126, 1999. © 1999 Kluwer Academic Publishers. Printed in the Netherlands. Rodent control in India V.R. Parshad Department of Zoology, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana 141004, India (Tel.: 91-0161-401960, ext. 382; Fax: 91-0161-400945) Received 3 September 1996; accepted 3 November 1998 Key words: agriculture, biological control, campaign, chemosterilent, commensal, control methods, economics, environmental and cultural methods, horticulture, India, pest management, pre- and post-harvest crop losses, poultry farms, rodent, rodenticide, South Asia, trapping Abstract Eighteen species of rodents are pests in agriculture, horticulture, forestry, animal and human dwellings and rural and urban storage facilities in India. Their habitat, distribution, abundance and economic significance varies in different crops, seasons and geographical regions of the country. Of these, Bandicota bengalensis is the most predominant and widespread pest of agriculture in wet and irrigated soils and has also established in houses and godowns in metropolitan cities like Bombay, Delhi and Calcutta. In dryland agriculture Tatera indica and Meriones hurrianae are the predominant rodent pests. Some species like Rattus meltada, Mus musculus and M. booduga occur in both wet and dry lands. Species like R. nitidus in north-eastern hill region and Gerbillus gleadowi in the Indian desert are important locally. The common commensal pests are Rattus rattus and M. musculus throughout the country including the islands. R. rattus along with squirrels Funambulus palmarum and F. tristriatus are serious pests of plantation crops such as coconut and oil palm in the southern peninsula. F. pennanti is abundant in orchards and gardens in the north and central plains and sub-mountain regions.
    [Show full text]
  • Rodent Damage to Various Annual and Perennial Crops of India and Its Management
    University of Nebraska - Lincoln DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln Great Plains Wildlife Damage Control Workshop Wildlife Damage Management, Internet Center Proceedings for April 1987 Rodent Damage to Various Annual and Perennial Crops of India and Its Management Ranjan Advani Dept. of Health, City of New York Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/gpwdcwp Part of the Environmental Health and Protection Commons Advani, Ranjan, "Rodent Damage to Various Annual and Perennial Crops of India and Its Management" (1987). Great Plains Wildlife Damage Control Workshop Proceedings. 47. https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/gpwdcwp/47 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Wildlife Damage Management, Internet Center for at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted for inclusion in Great Plains Wildlife Damage Control Workshop Proceedings by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. Rodent Damage to Various Annual and Perennial Crops of India and Its Management1 Ranj an Advani 2 Abstract.—The results of about 12 years' study deals with rodent damage to several annual and perennial crops of India including cereal, vegetable, fruit, plantation and other cash crops. The rodent species composition in order of predominance infesting different crops and cropping patterns percent damages and cost effectiveness of rodent control operations in each crop and status of rodent management by predators are analysed. INTRODUCTION attempts and preliminary investigations in cocoa and coconut crops yielded information that pods Rodents, as one of the major important and nuts worth of rupees 500 and 650 respectively vertebrate pests (Advani, 1982a) are directly can be saved when one rupee is spent on trapping of related to the production, storage and processing rodents in the plantations (Advani, 1982b).
    [Show full text]
  • Bandicoot Fossils and DNA Elucidate Lineage Antiquity Amongst Xeric
    www.nature.com/scientificreports OPEN Bandicoot fossils and DNA elucidate lineage antiquity amongst xeric-adapted Received: 31 May 2016 Accepted: 31 October 2016 Australasian marsupials Published: 24 November 2016 Benjamin P. Kear1,2, Ken P. Aplin3 & Michael Westerman4 Bandicoots (Peramelemorphia) are a unique order of Australasian marsupials whose sparse fossil record has been used as prima facie evidence for climate change coincident faunal turnover. In particular, the hypothesized replacement of ancient rainforest-dwelling extinct lineages by antecedents of xeric-tolerant extant taxa during the late Miocene (~10 Ma) has been advocated as a broader pattern evident amongst other marsupial clades. Problematically, however, this is in persistent conflict with DNA phylogenies. We therefore determine the pattern and timing of bandicoot evolution using the first combined morphological + DNA sequence dataset of Peramelemorphia. In addition, we document a remarkably archaic new fossil peramelemorphian taxon that inhabited a latest Quaternary mosaic savannah-riparian forest ecosystem on the Aru Islands of Eastern Indonesia. Our phylogenetic analyses reveal that unsuspected dental homoplasy and the detrimental effects of missing data collectively obscure stem bandicoot relationships. Nevertheless, recalibrated molecular clocks and multiple ancestral area optimizations unanimously infer an early diversification of modern xeric-adapted forms. These probably originated during the late Palaeogene (30–40 Ma) alongside progenitors of other desert marsupials, and thus occupied seasonally dry heterogenous habitats long before the onset of late Neogene aridity. Bandicoots (Peramelemorphia) are a speciose order of Australasian marsupials that appeared early in the evolu- tionary history of Australidelphia1. Most are small to medium sized (up to 5 kg) terrestrial omnivores occupying a spectrum of rainforest to desert habitats2,3.
    [Show full text]
  • Researchers Discover New Species of Extinct Australian Mammal 25 March 2019
    Researchers discover new species of extinct Australian mammal 25 March 2019 collected by Sir Thomas Mitchell in 1946 confirmed the existence of two species not only morphologically, but genetically. Roberto Portela Miguez, senior curator in charge of mammals at the Museum, said, "This study demonstrates the importance of museum collections. Using a combination of historical research, new techniques and museum specimens from around the world has allowed us to identify and learn more about this recently extinct species. Collections like that of the Natural History Museum are fundamental to increase our understanding of present and past biodiversity on Earth. While knowledge of this new species arrived too late to save it from extinction, hopefully the lesson learnt demonstrates the urgency and importance of Chaeropus yirratji, a newly discovered species of pig- supporting biodiversity research." footed bandicoot. Credit: Peter Schouten/WA Museum Researchers also used fossil records and Aboriginal oral accounts recorded in the 1980s to trace the two species' distribution. Chaeropus A team of researchers at the Natural History yirratji was thought to have lived in sandy Museum in London and the Western Australian environments in central Australia and Chaeropus Museum have discovered a new species of very ecaudatus lived in the southern peripheral areas of small, incredibly fast, extinct Australian Pigfooted the arid zone of Australia. Both species were Bandicoot. thought to inhabit areas of Western Australia. The pig-footed bandicoot was unique, and unlike Dr. Kenny Travouillon, Curator of Mammalogy at any other mammal due to its ability to walk on two the WA Museum, believes the discovery of toes on its front legs, and one toe on its hind legs.
    [Show full text]