Critically endangered bettongs double population in NSW

February 22, 2024 9:29 AM

Critically endangered bettongs survive fires, floods to double population in NSW. A program re-introducing brush-tailed bettongs to a conservation area in the Pilliga State Forest shows promise, after an east-coast extinction lasting more than 100 years.
posted by chariot pulled by cassowaries (7 comments total)

This is good news. And how cute are they?
posted by Czjewel at 10:11 AM on February 22 [1 favorite]

All the cute
posted by Windopaene at 11:01 AM on February 22 [2 favorites]

chariot, are you in the tiny cute marsupials industry or something???
posted by praemunire at 11:32 AM on February 22 [3 favorites]

After the first image I was surprised that they were not actually tiny; they look like they're somewhere between cottontail rabbit and housecat sized.
posted by AzraelBrown at 12:25 PM on February 22 [1 favorite]

After the first image I was surprised that they were not actually tiny; they look like they're somewhere between cottontail rabbit and housecat sized.

The length of the head and body combined is 310 to 380 millimetres (12 to 15 inches), not including the tail.
posted by chariot pulled by cassowaries at 12:30 PM on February 22 [1 favorite]

MetaFilter: They spend a large part of their life digging for food
posted by GenjiandProust at 1:45 PM on February 22 [1 favorite]

Aww, arent these the ones called woylies? I love that they curl their tail around nesting materials to gather and bring back https://wwf.org.au/blogs/10-facts-about-woylies/
posted by sweetmarie at 2:20 AM on February 23