VulnerableDingo
Canis lupus dingo
Mammals · Peramelemorphia · Thylacomyidae
Macrotis lagotis
At high risk of extinction in the wild over the medium term.
The greater bilby is a burrowing marsupial with enormous ears, a long snout and a two-toned tail tipped with a white tuft. It is the last survivor of its family: the lesser bilby became extinct in the mid-twentieth century. It once occupied 70% of Australia and today survives across barely 20%, driven back by foxes, feral cats and rabbits. It digs spiral burrows up to three metres long and is an ecosystem engineer: its tunnels and its feeding pits shelter dozens of other species.
Weight
1.5 kg – 3 kg
Size
29 cm – 55 cm
Life expectancy
7 years
Diet
Omnivore
Combines animal and plant food depending on availability.
Activity
Nocturnal
Active mainly at night.
Social structure
Solitary
Lives and hunts alone, joining others only to breed.
Sighting difficulty
Moderate
Sources consulted: https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macrotis_lagotis
Other species in the catalogue with the most in common with Bilby — same habitat, park, country, tags or family.
The bilby is classified as vulnerable. Organisations such as the IUCN, WWF and the Wildlife Conservation Society work specifically on its conservation and that of its habitat; looking into their programmes is a good starting point if you want to get involved.
Based on what we already know about bilby.
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