AangelStarr 
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(11/12/06 2:59 am)
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Marley and Pink Toe
Bandicoot Babies
There’s nothing more heart breaking than witnessing the devastation a pet cat or dog can do to a family of native wildlife. All too often we are getting little orphans into the Australian Wildlife Hospital, whose parents have been killed. Often, they arrive here in the pouch of their dead mum. Their only hope is to be cared for and hand reared by a dedicated wildlife carer until they are big enough for release.
Marley and Pink Toe are two bandicoot babies who were recently found in the pouch of their mother who was attacked and killed by a cat. They are long-nosed bandicoots, who, when fully grown are the largest of the mainland species of bandicoots found here in Australia. They have grey-brown fur and a creamy white belly and feet. Their ears are pointed, their teeth are delicate, and as the name suggests, their nose is narrow and long!
At the moment, these two bandicoot brothers are being fed a special milk supplement four times a day. After their last feed for the day, some yummy goodies are left out for them forage for and snack on during the night. They like to eat both insects and some fruits and veg. Bandicoots are nocturnal animals, so night time is when they are most active, and most vulnerable.
Loss of habitat, due to development is a major threat to Bandicoots in the wild. They are being forced into suburbia, and people were killing them because they thought they were rats! At night time, they fall victim to cat and dog attacks and often get run over as well.
With only a short life span of up to two and a half years, these little critters don’t waste anytime when it comes to breeding! A mother bandicoot can have between one and four babies at a time, after the shortest gestation period of any living mammal – a quick 12.5 days!
Long nosed bandicoots play a very important role in bushland ecology. As their droppings are dispersed they add natural nutrient to the leaf mulch. They also eat grubs that would otherwise weaken the roots of grasses. It is important that we look out for these amazing little marsupials, and keep our pets locked inside at night time, to allow our nocturnal natives to hunt and feed safely.
The face of nature reflects all of life's ups and downs. |
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