Fauna
Mammal

Southern Pig-footed Bandicoot

Chaeropus ecaudatus

Also known as Pig-footed Bandicoot

Southern pig-footed bandicoots possessed one of the most distinctive limb anatomies among marsupials, scampering across arid grasslands on two functional fore-toes resembling pig trotters and single functional hind digits akin to horse hooves. These solitary foragers rested during the heat of the day in grass-lined nests scraped into shallow soil depressions, emerging at dusk to browse on native grasses, seeds, and occasional insects. Introduced predators and altered fire regimes triggered rapid population collapses across inland Australia, leading to their global extinction by the early twentieth century.

MarsupialHerbivore
Southern Pig-footed Bandicoot reference
John Gould / Public domain · cc0
—observations
—countries
—peak records
ExtinctConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXExtinctRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & preyNative Grasses, Seeds, Termites
Predators
  • Feral Cat
  • Red Fox
  • Dingo
ThreatsPredation by feral cats and red foxes, competition with livestock, and altered fire regimes
HabitatsArid and semi-arid grasslands, open woodlands, and shrublands
Life spanEstimated 3–5 years
Classification
  1. OrderPeramelemorphia
  2. FamilyChaeropodidae
  3. GenusChaeropus
  4. SpeciesChaeropus ecaudatus
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskLow
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is low
Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
  • Museum records: Study historical skins and skeletal mounts in major natural history archives.
  • Habitat awareness: Support ecological restoration programs in remaining arid Australian grasslands.
Related species
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