Long Nose Bandicoots in our Habitat

A sad story

One of our Nursery volunteers Dita was weeding away at the veldt grass weeds between the Environment Centre and the Nursery and she came in looking a bit pale to the office with a story about finding an animal under the end of a log. We went out quietly one by one and found this creature pretending to be asleep right near the artificial waterhole in a leaf lined nest she/he had made under an overhanging log. She/he didn’t stir all day but at 5 when I was going home he was gone.

Three days later I found him/her dead with no evidence of damage or cause of death.

The long nosed bandicoots is an omnivorous marsupial eating insects, earthworms,, insect larvae, spiders, plant tubers, grass seeds, fruit and berries.

There are round holes all over the 9 ha of Tilligerry Habitat dug by animals seeking food about 15cms across. Smaller pointed holes are made by echidnas. Rabbits tend not to be in the bush as they eat the plants we are pulling out, not natives- they (rabbits) leave clear scratch, scrape marks.

Since then we have investigated and been informed of other bandicoot bodies being found in the past.

We would like to protect our bandicoots so have a pile of logs to scatter as homes when we get them cut up. We have also ordered new signs to go on the new Tilligerry Habitat timber name blades asking walkers to take care and help us protect our bandicoot population.

Fran Corner