ANIMAL: Brush-Tailed Bettong/Woylie Bettongia penicillata Type of Animal: Potoroid Habitat: Woodland, eucalyptus scrubland, forest, coastal islands, desert grassland, plains, low arid scrub, shrubland, desert Location(s): Formerly found throughout southern, western, & central Australia. Now found in pockets of southern & western Australia. Appearance: Small to medium-sized gray-brown marsupial w/ pale gray/whitish underneath, long well-furred tail w/ black tuft at end, large round ears, hind feet longer than front feet Food/Diet: Fungi, bulbs, seeds, tubers, roots, legume pods, resin, legumes, root vegetables, leaves, greens, plant shoots, squash, nuts, foliage, fruit, muesli, berries, bark, insects, insect larvae, carrion Status in Wild: Critically Endangered Conservation: Breeding in zoos & wildlife centers. Reintroduction into areas of former range. Reducing fox & cat population. Habitat monitoring. Lifestyle: Solitary or small colonies of 2-4 individuals (either all related females, all related males, or a male w/ 1 or more females & offspring). Additional Info: Called: Male: Buck Female: Doe Young: Joey Group: Colony Weight: Male: 2.2-4 lbs Female: 1.7-3.3 lbs Gestation: 3 weeks Life Span: 4-7 years in wild, 9-13 years in captivity Height: Male: 11.8-14.2 in Female: 9.8-14.2 in Body Length: Male: 11.8-14.2 in Female: 9.8-14.2 in Tail Length: Male: 11.4-14.2 in Female: 10-13 in Main predators are canids, cats, raptors, pythons, & quolls. Critically endangered due to introduced predators (foxes, dogs, & cats), land clearing, agriculture, persecution, development, disease, competition w/ livestock & rabbits, reduced genetic diversity, natural disasters (especially wildfires/floods), & habitat degradation/loss. Active at night (nocturnal). These animals are natural excavators, moving up to 6 tons of soil a year in search for food, digging up soil creating seed beds for new seeds/plants to grow. Turning over soil spreads fungal spores/native plant seeds. Sexually mature at 6 months old. Females can give birth every 3.5 months after reaching sexual maturity. Strong fore-claws come in handy for digging. Black tuft/brush at end of tail can be used as extra limb to carry objects/build nests. Excellent sense of smell & communicate w/ each other using scent from pee/poop & by rubbing scent glands on body. Strong legs come in handy for jumping. Fun Fact(s): These marsupials rarely drink water, helping them thrive in drier climates. Also called Brush-Tailed Rat Kangaroo. Sometimes called “farting rat” due to abrupt noise it emits when disturbed. Name Woylie derived from word walyu in Australian aboriginal Nyungar language.
