Numbat   By Julian, Matt and Mat 

                                  Information:                          

These small, timid marsupials have a very striking appearance. They have white and black stripes across their backs and a dark stripe near their eye. The tail has hairs on it that stand out, making the tail look like a "bottlebrush". Numbats have a body length of 24cm and a tail about 18cm long. Unlike most other Australian mammals, Numbats are active in the daytime and sleep at night.

                         
                                                        Habitat:

 There are only 2000 Numbats left in the world. Numbats live in western Australia and make their homes in logs and hollow trees. They prefer dry woodlands and mallee scrub.  
                                         Diet:

Numbats feed on termites, this means they live in areas where termites are found. They are active in the daytime because that is when the termites are also active. They have small front legs and claws which make it difficult to tear open termite mounds, unlike echidnas.  Numbats find termites by their smell, by looking into open tunnels of the termites galleries and also in logs. 

                        

                   

                               

                  Breeding:                               

Between January and April the young are born, usually four in number. The female does not have a 'pocket' pouch so the babies cling to their mothers' four teats and hairs around them. When they have fur but still require milk, the young are left in the nest while the mother feeds. In November or December they are old enough to leave the nest and live on their own.
                                       Shelter:

During the breeding season, the females dig a short burrow that leads to the nest of bark and leaves at the end. At other times Numbats sleep and hide in hollow logs which they may line with shredded bark.

                  
                                  Facts:

1. The Numbat's scientific name, MYRMECOBIUSFASCIATUS, means "striped feeder-on-ants.                                                         2. A big male Numbat's head and body may be 28cm long and its tail 21cm. 

A male may weigh up to 700g and a female up to 680g.                   
3. A Numbat's sticky tongue is half as long as it's head and body combined.

 4. A Numbat has 52 poorly developed teeth. It uses it's mouth to shift small branches and to carry nesting materials. 
5. The Numbat shelters in hollow logs. It falls pray to foxes and are vulnerable to fire and other habitat destructions.
6. Numbats are not wary of vehicles and may not be spotted from a car driven slowly along the track through forests where they live.                                                         

                         

 

Defence:

When Numbats search for food they often stop still and scan the area with ears listening, and noses sniffing to make sure that all is well, then immediately go back to searching for termites. When danger approaches, they run and hide under bushes, fallen sticks and leaves or in hollow logs. Unfortunately, Numbats have very little protection from foxes which are a major cause of their disappearance from many areas where they were once found.