What do they look like?
The Numbat is a marsupial with reddish-brown fur and prominent white, stripes. It also has a dark stripe running across the eye from its ear to mouth. The Numbat can grow to 27.4 cm long and weigh up to 715 g. It has a bushy tail which can grow to 21 cm long.
Where do they live?
The Numbat was originally widespread across southern semi-arid and arid Australia, from western New South Wales through South Australia and southern Northern Territory to the south-west of Western Australia. There are currently two native remnant populations in Western Australia and several reintroduced populations. The two small Western Australia populations were able to survive because both areas have many hollow logs that may serve as refuge from predators.
Numbats now live in eucalypt forests and woodlands. The Numbat has a specialised diet of termites but it is not powerful enough to extract the prey from their mounds so instead must feed on termites when they are active in shallow subsurface soil galleries during the day. The species uses a variety of shelter at night including hollow logs, tree hollows and burrows, and these are also used to avid predators during the day.
Fast facts:
- OUR CONSERVATION STATUS
National: Endangered
State: Extinct (NSW, NT), Endangered (SA), Vulnerable (WA)
- The Numbat has a specialised diet of termites but it is not powerful enough to extract the prey from their mounds so instead must feed on termites when they are active in shallow subsurface soil galleries during the day.
OUR CONSERVATION STATUS
National: Endangered
State: Extinct (NSW, NT), Endangered (SA), Vulnerable (WA)
HOW MANY OF US ARE THERE?
< 1,000 individuals
WHERE DO WE LIVE?
The Numbat was originally widespread across southern semi-arid and arid Australia, from western New South Wales through South Australia and southern Northern Territory to the south-west of Western Australia. There are currently two native remnant populations in Western Australia and several reintroduced populations. The two small Western Australia populations were able to survive because both areas have many hollow logs that may serve as refuge from predators.
DID YOUK NOW?
The Numbat is a marsupial with reddish-brown fur and prominent white, stripes. It also has a dark stripe running across the eye from its ear to mouth. The Numbat can grow to 27.4 cm long and weigh up to 715 g. It has a bushy tail which can grow to 21 cm long.
OUR HABITAT
Numbats now live in eucalypt forests and woodlands. The Numbat has a specialised diet of termites but it is not powerful enough to extract the prey from their mounds so instead must feed on termites when they are active in shallow subsurface soil galleries during the day. The species uses a variety of shelter at night including hollow logs, tree hollows and burrows, and these are also used to avid predators during the day.
FAMILY LIFE
Females occupy exclusive home ranges that overlap with males. During the non-breeding months, males also occupy exclusive home ranges but roam further than usual in the months preceding and during mating. Female Numbats produce one litter (max. of four) per year during summer. Breeding occurs in January and up to four pouch young are carried until about six months old when the female deposits them in one of her dens. Young begin foraging at about eight months and disperse in December.
THREATS TO OUR SURVIVAL
- Habitat loss and fragmentation due to clearance of native vegetation
- Predation from foxes, cats and dogs
- Inappropriate and changed fire regimes
