Numbats are mammals, and marsupials. They are the only surviving members of their family Myrmecobiidae. This family is one of three that belong to the order Dasyuromorphia (Dasyurids) which are the carnivorous marsupials.

Numbats are small, timid marsupials which hide from predators and other possible threats in hollow logs and branches. Unlike other marsupials, they are completely diurnal, meaning they are active during the day and sleep at night.

Numbats may eat up to 10% of their own body weight in termites every day, which means they may eat up to 20,000 termites daily. They feed almost exclusively on termites, although they will sometimes eat other types of ants. They have sharp claws for digging into termite mounds, although they prefer to dig out termites from under logs and underground, being able to detect them with their very sensitive noses. They have a sticky tongue for collecting the termites.

Numbats, being marsupials, give birth to live young which are undeveloped and only about the size of a jellybean. They must continue their development in the mother's pouch. In the case of the numbat, the pouch is just an open flap of skin. The baby numbats are initially secured by the swelling of the teat in their mouth.

All marsupial young are called joeys, and this includes baby numbats.

There are more numbats in the wild than there are in captivity. The captive population is constantly changing. There are not many numbats in zoos, and the only zoo that has them is Perth Zoo in Western Australia. Two animals sanctuaries have numbats: Yookamurra in South Australia and Scotia in New South Wales, the latter allowing no public access to its sanctuary. The aim of keeping a few breeding numbats in captivity is so that new individuals can be released into the wild, rather than for display.

No. The bandicoot and the numbat are completely different animals. Although they are both marsupials, the numbat is a member of the order Dasyuromorphia, while the bandicoot is a member of the order Peramelemorphia.

Male numbats attract females by using their scent gland. Prior to the mating season, which occurs through December and January, the male's stern all gland, positioned in the middle of the top of its chest, starts to exude a strong-smelling, oily substance. This not only turns its fur red, but the numbat uses it to rub over rocks and logs to let females know he is ready to mate.

The sun. Numbats live in a very hot climate, so in summer, they take shelter during the day to avoid overheating. They eat in the early morning and late afternoon. (In winter, they eat throughout the day, but go out later and return to shelter earlier.) Additionally, numbats avoid their predators: mainly, the Little Eagle, the Brown Goshawk, the Collared Sparrowhawk, and the Carpet Python.

Numbats' weight ranges between about 280 grams and 550 grams - just over half a kilogram. In imperial measurement, this is the equivalent of between 9.8 ounces and 19.4 ounces. Some larger specimens may weigh up to 715 grams.

Yes, the numbat is endangered. The primary cause of numbats being endangered is the introduction of non-native species to Australia. Introduced species such as foxes, and feral cats and dogs, pose a considerable threat to the numbat. It is a small, quite defenseless creature, only able to protect itself by hiding in hollow logs.

Another reason is habitat loss. Their habitat has been cleared for industry, agriculture and expanding human habitation.

Yes. A numbat is a striped marsupial of Australia. It is one of the few marsupials which does not have a fully developed pouch. The young are still born undeveloped, and cling to the mother's underbelly, whilst still firmly attached to her teats for their first few months of life.

No. Numbats feed almost exclusively on termites, although they do sometimes eat ants as well. They do not eat any vegetation.

No. there are more koalas than numbats. Koalas are found over a wider ranging area than numbats. Estimates of the koala population in Australia range between 80,000 and 100,000. Estimates of the numbat population, by contrast, are between 900 and 1500.

A numbat is a small, squirrel-sized, insectivorous marsupial of Australia, now only found in the far southwestern corner of the mainland. Unlike most marsupials, it does not have a pouch for the young, but they cling to the mother's underbelly fur whilst attached to a teat. The numbat has red-brown fur with six or seven white stripes across its back. It has a relatively long, bushy tail. The numbat feeds primarily on termites, so is sometimes referred to as a banded anteater. It has a lifespan of 5-6 years in captivity, but it is highly endangered, and its lifespan in the wild is shorter.

The numbat was adopted as the official faunal emblem of Western Australia on 25 July 1973.

No. The numbat is not like an armadillo. It does not roll into any spherical shape when threatened. Its only defence is to hide in hollow logs and crevices in trees or rocks.

Apart from the obvious differences in reproductive organs, there is very little difference between male and female numbats. Despite being a marsupial, the female numbat does not even have a pouch.

The males tend, on average, to be about 20 grams more in weight than the females.

Numbats, being mammals, reproduce sexually. Breeding occurs during Australia's summer months, and the gestation period is about 14 days.

As they are marsupials, they give birth to live young which are undeveloped, hairless and about the size of a jellybean.

At birth, numbats joeys, of which there are usually 2-4, crawl by instinct to the mother's teats which then swell in their mouth. The numbat is unusual because, unlike other marsupials, it does not have a closed pouch. the joeys cling to the mother's underbelly until they are three to four months old. After this time, the joeys are left in a burrow during the day while the mother finds food. They may be transported on her back to new shelters.

Young joeys are ready to leave the mother at nine to ten months old, whereupon they move away from the mother's territory to establish their own territory. Numbats are ready to reproduce at about one year old. Their lifespan is 3-4 years in the wild, and up to 6 years in captivity.

There are not many numbats in zoos, and the only zoo that has them is Perth Zoo in Western Australia. Two animals sanctuaries have numbats: Yookamurra in South Australia and Scotia in New South Wales, the latter allowing no public access to its sanctuary. The aim of keeping a few breeding numbats in captivity is so that new individuals can be released into the wild, rather than for display.

Numbats fit the definition of a marsupial in every sense, except for not having a pouch. Even so, they do have a fold of skin that helps keep the joeys in place, while long guard hairs also provide some warmth.

Marsupial young are characterised by being extremely small and undeveloped at birth. At birth, they take a long, arduous journey from the birth canal, driven purely by instinct, grabbing hold of the mother marsupial's fur which she has cleaned and made easier to traverse with saliva, to reach the pouch. Upon reaching the pouch, they latch onto a teat which swells in their mouth to prevent them from being accidentally dislodged during the mother's movements. There they stay for months, to complete their development. This is the case with numbats, as much as with other marsupials.

Female marsupials have two vaginas, or what are called paired lateral vaginae. These are for the purpose of transporting the sperm to the womb, but there is a midline pseudovaginal canal for actually giving birth. As well as two vaginas and two uteruses, female marsupials have two fallopian tubes and two cervixes. The numbat is no exception to this.