Long Nosed Bandicoot
Information below is from Lynda Stakers book " Don't step backwards" ( with permission )
The only difference between the Long-nosed Bandicoot and the Northern Brown Bandicoot (other than it’s appearance) is the area of habitat.
This bandicoot inhabits the eastern coast from parts of northern QLD down to Victoria.
As it’s name implies, it has a very long nose, which is used to locate plant material and insects in the deep, vertical holes which it digs. The
materials and insects located by these bandicoots, appear to be found by their keen sense of smell. When not eating, they sniff along the
ground, making little grunt
like noises. All bandicoots are nocturnal, and of the seven existing in Australia, these two are at present the most
secure, although their habitat is most
definitely dwindling.
They are one of the hosts for ticks, and although it is common for them to have many ticks upon them, unless they are ill, the ticks do not seem
to present a
problem.
As with macropods, their have grooming claws on their hind feet, which consist of two toes joined at the origin, but separating into two separate
claws.
The young, as with other bandicoots, are born attached to umbilical cords, which drop off after they have secured themselves to their teat.
At about 40
days, they are showing their first growth of fur, eyes open at 45-.
It is an unfortunate fact that the nocturnal Bandicoot is not considered by most, as an important marsupial worthy of our consideration. We
get
complacent by the common sight of dead bandicoots on the sides of our roads, most probably as they are not seen as ‘cute and cuddly’
like the majority of our natives.
It is this complacency that has enabled the demise of bandicoots in many N.S.W. regions, where they were once plentiful, but now no longer
exist, and
this can happen anywhere in Australia, until we realise that ALL our native fauna has a vital role to play in our unique ecology.
As omnivores (eating both invertebrates and plant material) they can survive on many varieties of foodstuffs from carrion to vegetable scraps,
and
considering their diet is so diverse, and their breeding rate is astronomical, we must be mismanaging our environment immensely, to
have actually wiped them out in
certain areas.
Of the seven species of bandicoots existing in Australia, only two are considered plentiful. Here in the tropics, we are accustomed to seeing
only one
of Queensland’s two species of bandicoots, which is the more common Northern Brown bandicoot, with the less common Long-nosed
bandicoot frequenting
areas along the coastal strip between QLD and Victoria.
Where their habitat has been destroyed, bandicoots have managed to adapt to suburbia by changing their eating habits even further, to include
dog/cat
food, and vegetable gardens. They are actually beneficial when it comes to our lawns, as although people don’t like the fact that holes
are the end result of a
night of coot foraging, the bandicoot is actually eradicating lawn grubs, which eventually kill the lawn anyway. They are
great little compost foragers,
turning the compost over in their search for grubs, worms etc., but unfortunately can’t tell the difference between
ones compost and ones vegetable garden.
Their keen sense of smell enables them to locate their prey, and tubers of favoured plants, such as nut grass, which is a curse to most horticulturists.
Suburban living has cost the bandicoot, as their main predators are dogs and cats, and of course many are killed on our roads. But their ability
to bear
offspring in such a short space of time allows them to have a small stronghold on survival. The mother bandicoot will bear between 1
and 4 babies, after the shortest
gestation period of any living mammal-an amazing 12•5 days!
Compared to the 30 days required for the rabbit’s gestation, the old saying ‘breeding like rabbits’ should be changed to ‘breeding like bandicoots!’
The tiny babies are only about 13 millimetres long, and crawl in to the backward opening pouch, attaching themselves onto one each of the
eight teats.
There they grow on a formula rich in milk solids, and by the time they are poking their heads out at 45 days, the mother bandicoot
is mating again. 12.5 days later
the pouch young are evicted from their pouch to make room for the new arrivals, and continue to forage with
the mother for another week or so until dispersing
to find their own way.
In theory, it is possible that a female bandicoot can bear between 36-40 young in her short lifetime, but research has found that only 12 offspring
over
the 18 months are likely to survive to sexual maturity in the wild. Not only has the bandicoot got to contend with domestic predators, but
they are also prey
to owls, quolls, foxes, and cane fires, and it is not uncommon to find dead or injured coots who have been run over by slashers.
Their nest is fashioned from grass and leaf litter in a shallow depression on the ground, but if disturbed, they will scurry into a hollow log or similar
hide-out on the ground.
Females become sexually mature at between 3-4 months and only live to approximately 18 months of age, weighing in at about 1.7 kilos at
adult weight.
Males are much larger, weighing 3 kilos at adult weight, but only living for about 12 months.
In winter when their preferred food of insects and larvae become scarce, they resort to berries, worms, snails, sugar-cane and fruit, or if in
suburbia,
any human foodscraps which become available.
Being solitary and territorial, the male’s territory covers approximately 5 hectares, and fighting with rivals for territorial rights usually
results
in the loser scurrying off without its tail. In some areas where research of these animals has occurred, many male bandicoots have been found
without
tails, due to territorial battles, which has often resulted in reports of ‘mini wombats’ running around the countryside! This aggressive
energy used to
defend such a large area for one small animal is probably the reason why the males do not live a very long life. Males also have
glands situated behind their ears,
which they use for scent marking.
Handling bandicoots is not for the inexperienced, with lightning reaction, extremely sharp claws, and sharp teeth that once clamped down
on an
unsuspecting hand, will not let go. Their top teeth overlap the bottom teeth, so once bitten, you can’t pull them off, their mouth has to be
opened to release their
grip. On the other hand, when raised from tiny, these endearing little creatures display the intelligence of a guinea-pig,
and if released around the house,
will continue to come and go.
