Bilbies (small marsupials sometimes known as rabbit-eared bandicoots) are critically endangered, and can only be found in isolated areas of far western Queensland and the Northern Territory, and areas of the Great Sandy Desert, Pilbara and Kimberley areas of Western Australia. In Queensland, they may be seen in a protected area near Charleville, in the west.
Bilbies live in burrows in hot, dry grasslands and semi-arid spinifex areas. The burrow entrance is often positioned against a termite mound or small shrub, and a single bilby may have up to a dozen burrows that it uses either for shelter during the day, or as a quick escape route from predators.
Amazingly adaptable for their size and the threats to them, bilbies can live in sandstone ridges, gibber plains, rocky soils with little ground cover, a variety of grasslands, and acacia scrub.
Prior to European settlement, bilbies were across about two-thirds of Australia, but being highly vulnerable to habitat loss and competition with introduced animals, it has not survived in those areas.
The first link below gives a map showing the known distribution of the bilby.
The second link also shows a map displaying how the bilby's habitat in Queensland has shrunk since European settlement.
The two known bilbies are the Greater Bilby and the Lesser Bilby. The Lesser Bilby is believed to be extinct.
No. Bilbies dig burrows in the ground.
There is no positive outcome about the extinction of the lesser bilby.
In the wild, bilbies have been known to live up to seven years.
Bilbies are generally solitary animals. At most, they will live in family groups of up to four.
No. Australia's most endangered animal is the Gilbert's potoroo.
Bilbies are not pugnacious. They do not fight with their own kind. Although solitary, they often live in small colonies, and share a network of tunnels.
Foxes and cats, which have been introduced to Australia, are one of the main things hurting the bilbies. They successfully hunt bilbies, and their introduction resulted in the extinction of the Lesser bilby. Only the species known as the Greater bilby remains.Rabbits also hurt the bilbies indirectly. Their biggest competition for food has come from the introduced rabbit, Which completely decimate vast areas of native vegetation. Rabbits also burrow where the bandicoots burrow, but their burrows tend to cause the collapse of the bilbies' burrows, resulting in the bilbies being trapped, and suffocating.Man hurts the bilbies by impacting on their habitat. Bilbies used to be found throughout southern Australia, but as European settlement spread further out in search of good agricultural land, bilbies were pushed back into the desert.
Yes. The Lesser bilby is believed to be extinct, with the last recorded sighting having occurred in 1931. The Greater bilby is endangered.
Bilbies, small native mrsupials of Australia, do not lay eggs. Bilbies are marsupials. they give birth to undeveloped live young, which crawl into the mother's pouch to continue their development.The only egg-laying mammals (monotremes) are the platypus and the echidna.
Bilbies do not migrate.
No. Bilbies are not aggressive.