Know your endangered Aussie species: LONG-NOSED POTOROO
We're back to the cuddly furries!
**Long-nosed Potoroos** are a smallish marsupial (up to 41cm) related to the kangaroo family. They are distributed in highly-fragmented populations along the east coast of Australia from southern Queensland, through NSW, to western Victoria, and throughout much of Tasmania living in wet and dry sclerophyll forest, coastal heath and coastal woodland, where thick understorey is present.
LNPs are reddish-brown to grey in colour with paler fur below. Their nose is long and tapering with a naked patch of skin on the snout. The tail is sparsely-furred and sometimes has a white tip (this is more common in the southern parts of its range).
Their diet mostly consists of fungi (truffles and mushrooms), but arthropods, seeds, and plant material are also consumed.
They are generally a solitary species, use areas of dense understorey for shelter, and more open areas to forage.
LNPs are continuous breeders, with females sexually mature around 1 year of age. Females raise one young per pregnancy, but can have 3-4 young per year.
Populations have declined since European settlement and are threatened by predation of the red fox and domestic cat, as well as the loss of habitat due to agriculture. Populations tend to be at higher, more natural levels in Tasmania due to the historic absence of foxes.
If you want to see a very cute family of Long-nosed Potoroos and the conservation work being carried out with this species, I hope you enjoy this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFuT2Rvdu0Q
**Long-nosed Potoroos** are a smallish marsupial (up to 41cm) related to the kangaroo family. They are distributed in highly-fragmented populations along the east coast of Australia from southern Queensland, through NSW, to western Victoria, and throughout much of Tasmania living in wet and dry sclerophyll forest, coastal heath and coastal woodland, where thick understorey is present.
LNPs are reddish-brown to grey in colour with paler fur below. Their nose is long and tapering with a naked patch of skin on the snout. The tail is sparsely-furred and sometimes has a white tip (this is more common in the southern parts of its range).
Their diet mostly consists of fungi (truffles and mushrooms), but arthropods, seeds, and plant material are also consumed.
They are generally a solitary species, use areas of dense understorey for shelter, and more open areas to forage.
LNPs are continuous breeders, with females sexually mature around 1 year of age. Females raise one young per pregnancy, but can have 3-4 young per year.
Populations have declined since European settlement and are threatened by predation of the red fox and domestic cat, as well as the loss of habitat due to agriculture. Populations tend to be at higher, more natural levels in Tasmania due to the historic absence of foxes.
If you want to see a very cute family of Long-nosed Potoroos and the conservation work being carried out with this species, I hope you enjoy this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HFuT2Rvdu0Q