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Photo: Robert Dockerill |
| They are covered in silky, grey fur, have a long snout and a slender tongue. Their large, hairless ears assist them in keeping cool as well as hearing predators. Although they have poor vision, their sense of smell is very good which is important for finding food. The strong front limbs have three toes with claws and two without claws which Bilbies use to burrow rapidly. The hind limbs are slender with a large middle toe like a kangaroo and are used for grooming. With such a delicate appearance one is led to wonder how such an animal could ever survive such harsh desert conditions.
In recent times, Australians have begun a trend of using the Bilby as the symbol of Easter, replacing the rabbit which has caused so much damage to the Australian environment. The rabbit, with its incredible reproductive capability, symbolised the fertility that spring brings at this time of the year. Although the female bilby has eight teats in a backward-opening pouch, it usually has litters of no more than three young.
The gestation period is around 21 days and the young will stay in the pouch and suckle milk for another 75 days. It is possible for young to be born throughout the year, but breeding may depend on rainfall and the amount of food available. Therefore, as a symbol of fertility, the bilby is not really an appropriate substitute. No one knows how long they live in the wild but captive Bilbies can live for up to 5 years.
In the late 1800s and early 1900s Bilbies occupied most of the southern half of Australia from the coast of Western Australia to mid-western New South Wales. Today Bilbies are only found in scattered colonies in the Tanami desert in the Northern Territory, in the Great Sandy Desert, Pilbara and Kimberley regions of Western Australia. An isolated population also lives in south-western Queensland. Bilbies are mainly found in grasslands and acacia scrublands amongst spinifex and tussocks. Although most bandicoots do not make burrows, Bilbies dig burrows that spiral downwards to a depth of about two metres. These burrows usually have a single opening which are hidden by a small bush, grass tussock or termite mound.
At night Bilbies emerge from the coolness of their burrows to forage for insects and their larvae or native fruit and seeds. As the seasons change, so do the food sources. In times of drought colonies of termites can provide Bilbies with energy and moisture.Early this century, Bilbies were hunted for their fur, killed by poison baits and caught in rabbit traps. Today they are preyed upon by foxes and feral cats. Most destructive has been the spread of rabbits and cattle who compete with Bilbies for food and habitat.
There were once two species of Bilbies that lived in Australia, the Greater Bilby and the Lesser Bilby. The Lesser Bilby was last seen alive in north-western South Australia in 1931 and is now presumed extinct. Smaller than the Greater Bilby, this bandicoot had white fur along the tip of its tail. Unfortunately, this animal has gone forever.
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Animal Fact Sheets - Want to learn more about some of Australasia's unique fauna? Take a look at these fact sheets. Great for school projects! |
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Regional Education Policy - This policy produced by the education group is a formulation of principles, guidelines and minimum standards for education for the many different sectors involved in zoos, parks and aquaria. |
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Education Specialist Advisory Group - An overview of the Zoo and Aquarium Association and education. Learn about the activities of the Association's Education Specialist Advisory Group. | |
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