Mammal
Eastern Barred Bandicoot
Perameles gunniiAlso known as Barred Bandicoot, Gunn's Bandicoot
Eastern barred bandicoots emerge after dusk to forage across open grassy fields, digging conical snout-pokes into the soil to unearth subterranean grubs and earthworms. Solitary by nature, each individual maintains an overlapping home range sheltered by dense tussock grasses or low shrubs where they construct well-concealed sleeping nests. Females boast one of the shortest mammalian gestation periods at just twelve days, enabling rapid reproductive recovery in protected predator-free reserves.
NocturnalMarsupialEndemic
—observations
—countries
—peak records
VulnerableConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXVulnerableRed List categories, explained →
Diet & preyScarab Beetle Larvae, Earthworms, Field Crickets
Predators
- Red Fox
- Feral Cat
- Masked Owl
ThreatsPredation by introduced red foxes and feral cats, habitat clearance, and road strikes
HabitatsTemperate native grasslands, grassy woodlands, pastoral pastures, and roadside verges
Life span2–4 years
Classification
- OrderPeramelemorphia
- FamilyPeramelidae
- GenusPerameles
- SpeciesPerameles gunnii
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
- What to notice
- Look for a rabbit-sized marsupial bearing three to four pale bars across a darker rump.
- Support conservation
- Maintain a respectful distance of at least five meters and never chase or spotlight nesting individuals.
Responsible observation
- Timing: Scan open lawns and native pastures near dense cover within two hours after nightfall.
- Lighting: Use a dim red light to observe natural foraging behaviors without causing panic.
- Pet Management: Keep domestic dogs on leashes and cats indoors overnight near bandicoot habitat.
Predator "Red Fox" by Mike's Birds is licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0. To view a copy of this license, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/. · cc-by-sa
Close Relative (c) Greg Tasney, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA) · cc-by-sa
Close Relative Daderot / CC0 · cc0
Same Family (c) Patrick Connolly, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
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