Bandicoots
       Two species of Bandicoots are housed at Fauna Australia Wildlife Retreat.  These are the Northern Brown Bandicoot found in northern NSW and Queensland and the local variety the Southern Brown Bandicoot.  Although very similar in appearance they have several characteristics which distinguish them.  The Northern Browns have pointy ears, where the Southern Browns have rounded ears.  The Northerns are also larger in size.

     Due to their size and having a pointy nose, predators love to eat them.  Snakes find they go down very well.  To counter the high chances of predation, bandicoots have some tricks of their own.  They have very silky smooth fur, which is very slippery, making them hard to hold onto.  Their pear shaped appearance also makes it easier to slip out of grips.  Another characteristic they have, is they have one of the shortest gestations of any mammals.  Just 12.5 days.  Young stay in the mothers backward facing pouch (she doesn't want it to fill with dirt) for 60 days.  At 70 days they are weaned.  2.5 days later she has another lot.  Although she has 8 teats in her pouch, she only has 2-4 babies.  This ensures that when she has the next litter of young, their will be some teats small enough for them to attach to.  She is capable of having 3 litters in a season.  By the start of her third litter, the females from her first litter may have pouch young of their own.

     Because the young are born so small and in such little time, the young are born with the umbilical cord still attached.  This provides nutrition until they can attach to the teats.
 

© Fauna Australia Wildlife Retreat 2009