Flora and Fauna Friday: Meet Australia's Eastern Barred Bandicoot

With so much doom and gloom about world politics, rising fascism and climate change, I'm thinking it's time to share something a little different. I love the Australian wildlife. Our animals and plants bring so much joy and beauty. So here's my idea. Each Friday I can share a story about a unique Australian animal or plant that I've met. And through these posts, I can not only raise awareness about Australian species, but share stories of resilience, wonder, and hope - reminders of why protecting our natural world really matters.

For this first edition, I couldn’t think of a better species than the adorable Eastern barred bandicoot. When I was Australia's Threatened Species Commissioner and my friend Rachel Lowry introduced me to it, I was amazed by its journey. Once thought to be extinct on mainland Australia, this adorable marsupial was rediscovered hiding in old car bodies at a dump in Victoria. Thanks to Melbourne Zoo, where Rachel was working at the time, the Eastern barred bandicoot is now thriving in sanctuaries like French Island and Mount Rothwell. But as one of Australia's many endangered marsupials, its future is far from secure.

Meet the Eastern Barred Bandicoot:

Scientific Name: Perameles gunnii

Habitat: Formerly common in grasslands and open woodlands, now found only in predator-proof areas and Tasmania.

Threats: Habitat loss and fragmentation, feral cats and foxes.

Diet: Insects, worms, and fungi.

Conservation Status: Endangered. There are only 1,500 Eastern barred bandicoots left on mainland Australia.

The Eastern barred bandicoot's survival is a testament to what we can achieve with concerted conservation efforts. But there's still more to do to secure its future. I'm also wondering about whether it should be called a "bandi-cute" rather than "bandicoot". But I'll leave the naming of our species for another post.

If you enjoyed this post, I’d love to hear from you! Should I make “Flora and Fauna Friday” a regular fixture? Let me know in the comments, and feel free to suggest other Australian species you'd like to meet in future posts.

Photo thanks to Melbourne Zoo.