#macrotis lagotis

[briery]

An endangered Greater bilby (Macrotis lagotis) runs happy and free in the feral predator-proof fenced area in Pilliga National Park, northern New South Wales, Australia. (Larger 1, 2).

[atlaslovesedm]

HOLY FUCKING SHIT!!!!!!!!

IT'S MARSUPIAL MONDAY!!!!!!!

[cool-critters]

Greater bilby (Macrotis lagotis)

The greater bilby is an Australian species of nocturnal omnivorous animal in the order Peramelemorphia.Greater bilbies live in arid parts of northwestern and central Australia.Their range and population is in decline. It remains a threatened species. It makes its home in a burrow that spirals down, making it hard for its predators to get in. Greater bilbies have the characteristics of long bandicoot muzzle and very long ears. They are about 29–55 cm in length. Greater bilbies are nocturnal omnivores that do not need to drink water, as they get all the moisture they need from their food, which includes insects and their larvae, seeds, spiders, termites, bulbs, fruit, fungi, and very small animals. Most food is found by digging or scratching in the soil, and using their very long tongues. Greater bilbies are generally solitary marsupials; however, there are some cases in which they travel in pairs. These pairs usually consist of two females, and these females are the sole caregivers of their offspring.  The female bilby mates iteroparously.

photo credits: Kevin503

[azzaventura]

Bilbies The Builder! Stuart Dawson at Murdoch University in Australia and his colleagues mounted cameras near the burrows of greater bilbies (Macrotis lagotis), whose long ears have earned them the nickname ‘Australia’s Easter bunnies’. The team catalogued at least 45 species that spent time either in the burrow or at its entrance.

After a wildfire, animals such as the dwarf bearded dragon (Pogona minor) were observed at burrows more often than before the fire.The authors say that bilby burrows and their entrances can be an important source of shelter in arid regions, especially after wildfires, which rob small animals of a safe refuge by destroying plant cover. The ongoing decline in the bilby population is therefore threatening a broad range of species with the loss of essential sanctuary.

[briery]

An endangered Greater bilby (Macrotis lagotis) runs happy and free in the feral predator-proof fenced area in Pilliga National Park, northern New South Wales, Australia. (Larger 1, 2).

[theimaginariemuse]

[theimaginariemuse]

[ainawgsd]

The bilby is becoming Australia’s Easter icon and a symbol of hope for native wildlife. Once widespread across Australia, the bilby has become a rare sight, largely due to predation by feral cats and foxes, plus the invasion of rabbits. Their struggle for survival sparked the rise of chocolate bilbies in place of bunnies at Easter.

“The ‘bilbies not bunnies’ campaign makes people stop and think about the threats to our native fauna, not just the bilby,” says Kev Bradley, CEO of Save the Bilby Fund.“We want to see the campaign grow each year so everyone’s local store gives them the option to choose a bilby over a bunny,” he said.

The funds raised through chocolate Easter bilby sales over the past 25 years has helped brighten the future of their real-life versions. They have provided a boost to a number of bilby conservation projects, from captive breeding programs to building large reserves free from rabbits, cats and foxes. While the bilby still has a long way to go, numbers are slowly increasing thanks to these reserved areas. In South Australia, where they were once extinct, it is estimated that 800 to 1500 bilbies are digging burrows and galloping around a large reserve built by the Arid Recovery Plan.

There’s nothing quite like the Greater bilby, a nocturnal marsupial with silky blue-grey fur. With rabbit-like ears, a long tufted tail and legs similar to a kangaroo’s, bilbies are an intriguing mix of unusual adaptations. When their ears aren’t detecting insects underground, they help keep the bilby cool by releasing heat, much like a car radiator. Instead of spending their days searching for a creek or waterhole, they skip drinking water getting their moisture from the insects, bulbs and fruit they eat. While their legs resemble a kangaroo’s, they don’t hop around like one. When a bilby needs to move fast, it gallops like a horse. According to fossil evidence, bilbies have been galloping around mainland Australia for roughly 15 million years.

When the early settlers were fresh off the boat 200 years ago, there were two living species of bilby – the Greater bilby we know today and the Lesser bilby (Macrotis leucura). Sadly, the Lesser bilby hasn’t been seen alive for many decades and is thought to be extinct. Their disappearance was likely due to competition with rabbits, habitat changes and introduced predators likes foxes and cats. Now, only the Greater bilby remains and is nationally classified as vulnerable.

If you were living in Australia a hundred years ago, you would likely spend a lot of time complaining about bilbies digging up your vegetable garden. This is because bilbies were extremely common and could be found in 70 per cent of mainland Australia. But shortly after the arrival of European settlers, the bilby’s range rapidly shrunk to covering just 20 per cent of the country. Now, it is estimated that there are less than 10,000 bilbies scattered in pockets of the Northern Territory, Western Australia and Queensland.

Although they are popular as pets, Australia’s relationship with the rabbit continues to be an ongoing battle. Over the last 100 years, we have built giant fences, blown up their burrows and introduced infectious diseases like rabbit haemorrhagic disease (RHD) to try and protect our native wildlife. Although these measures have significantly reduced rabbit numbers, they are still regarded as the most destructive pest animal in Australia and a huge threat to native species. Even a single rabbit grazing on one hectare of land can hinder the regeneration of native plants.

While rabbits are busy eroding the landscape with their digging, bilbies are constructing spiral-shaped burrows that help keep the ecosystem in balance. In addition to providing shelter, these three metre long diggings act as compost pits filled with decomposing plant material and germinating seeds. With every digging, bilbies help to regenerate native plants and restore the soil in the harsh Australian desert.

The growing popularity of the Easter Bilby isn’t just raising awareness of the bilby’s struggle for survival. It also represents the plight of many of our native animals in the face of introduced species. Adopting the Bilby as Australia’s official Easter animal will spark public interest in native wildlife conservation and help keep conservation efforts moving forward.

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