Numbats

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.

Numbats are insectivorous. 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. A numbat eats as much as 20,000 termites a day.

Numbats became vulnerable with the start of European settlement, although conservation classifications were to in place at that time. The introduction of non-native species to Australia such as foxes, and feral cats and dogs, quickly caused a considerable threat to the numbat. It is a small, quite defenceless creature, only able to protect itself by hiding in hollow logs. As European settlement expanded, their habitat was cleared for industry, agriculture and expanding human habitation. Bushfires and changed fire regimes also contributed to the numbats' increasng vulnerability. Bushfires destroy the numbats' habitat, including the logs in which it shelters. Numbats are not fast-moving creatures, and they cannot escape bushfires, which can move very quickly.

Numbats sometimes live in burrows. They commonly shelter in hollow logs, but they also dig burrows in which they leave their joeys when the baby numbats are old enough to be detached from the mother's teats.

Numbats are endangered, and their numbers continue to drop.

The primary cause of numbats numbers being in decline 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 defenceless 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.

Bushfires and changed fire regimes have also contributed to the numbats' endangerment. Bushfires destroy the numbats' habitat, including the logs in which it shelters. Numbats are not fast-moving creatures, and they cannot escape bushfires, which can move very quickly.

Numbats used to be quite widespread across the Australian mainland, prior to European settlement. Now they are endangered, and are found only in the far southwestern corner of Western Australia.

Numbats shelter in hollow logs and shallow burrows in Wandoo or Jarrah bushland with sufficient grassy undergrowth to give them nesting material for their burrows, and some protection from predators.

No. Numbats do not migrate. No native Australian marsupials migrate. Some species are semi-nomadic, but the numbat is not.

There are numerous dangers for the numbat, a small, ground-dwelling marsupial of Western Australia.

One of the main dangers has been brought about by 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 defenceless creature, only able to protect itself by hiding in hollow logs.

Another danger to the numbat is habitat loss. Their habitat has been cleared for industry, agriculture and expanding human habitation.

Bushfires and changed fire regimes also create huge dangers for the numbat. Bushfires destroy the numbats' habitat, including the logs in which it shelters. Numbats are not fast-moving creatures, and they cannot escape bushfires, which can move very quickly.

Not exactly. Numbats are insectivorous and 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. A numbat eats as much as 20,000 termites a day.

All species deserve to be saved in their native habitat. Each animal species has a unique role in its niche, even though that role may not be so in ions to humans at times.

The numbat is e faunal emblem of Western Australia. It is a completely unique marsupial, with its striking appearance and bushy tail, and its exclusive diet of termites. Nowhere in the world is there another animal like the numbat: this alone should be enough reason to save it.