BRUSH TAILED BETTONG

(Bettongia Penicillata)

by

Mitchell Day 

 

Description

 

The Brush Tailed Bettong is a small marsupial living in Australia. It’s body length is 300mm - 380 mm and it has a tail length of 290mm - 360mm, giving a total length of 590mm - 740mm.

 

The brush tailed bettong has a short face and brownish grey sides. It also has a reddish tinge on the bases of the ears. This animals hind feet are white and the base of the long tail is brownish grey and the last part is dark brown to black and the tail is crested at the tip.

 

The Brush Tailed Bettong has undersides which are pale and yellowish grey.

 

The animal weighs 1.1kg to 1.6kg, and the weight drops a lot in winter months.

 

Distribution

 

The Brush Tailed Bettong once lived in South Australia, Victoria, New South Wales and Western Australia.

Now it is only found in South West, Western Australia. The animal survives in three small areas of Western Australia: The Perup and Dryandra forests and the Tuttanning Reserve.

The map below shows the areas that the Bettong now lives.

 

Habitat

 

The Brush Tailed Bettong lives in woodlands.

The remaining habitat of this animal is open gum tree forests with lots old fall timber and clumps of grasses with some open areas as well as woody scrub areas.

During the day the Bettong rests in well made and hidden nests made of grass and shredded bark. Sometimes a shallow depression is dug under bush for cover.

It is comparatively slow moving but hops very quickly when scared or disrupted. The head is held low and the back arched and the tail is extended almost horizontally.

The habitat is being managed to help ensure the continuing survival of the species.

Threats to habitat:-

Humans

Foxes

Changes in fire frequencies

Agricultural clearing

Competition and disturbance from stock

 

Reproduction

Breeding occurs through the year, with one baby being born in a litter, with up to three babies each year depending on the seasonal conditions.

Sexually mature at about 21 weeks old; breeding continuous.

Female has four teats but usually bears only one young, which leaves the pouch at about 13 weeks and is suckled to age of about 15 weeks.

 

Feeding

 

Mostly eats fungi but does not eat green material or drink any water.

While it may eat bulbs, tubers, seeds, insects and resin, the bulk of its nutrients

(especially in summer and autumn) are derived from the fruiting bodies of underground fungi.

These fungi can only be digested indirectly. Bacteria in the large stomach eat the fungi and it is these bacteria and their by products which contain the more balance nutrients that are digested in the rest of the stomach and the small intestine.

The small fore claws are used for digging food. The animal has also been seen burying seeds but it is not known if hey ever recover them. However the seeds have been known to grow in clumps after fires.