Long-nosed Bandicoot

Perameles nasuta

We commonly rescue the Northern Brown Bandicoot in this area , but recently a Long Nosed Bandicoot came in to care at Wildlife Mountain.

The difference in size is very obvious at first, as is the colour of these animals compared to the Northern Brown.

This little fellow came in as a result of a dog attack, Mum was killed he and his brother survived, sadly the brother died overnight, which left this little fellow on his own. He has however done well, and is now outside in a large pen, both day and night. He has built his own home, a hollow in the ground covered with leaf litter and sticks. Luckily we do not need to know where his home is, as long as we can keep an eye on his progress there is no need to disturb him, so at night we steal a look to ensure all is well. Being nocturnal he is only active at night, sleeping his days away, making up for lost time by being extremely busy all night. He digs in the soil we provide on a daily basis, looking for bugs and insects.

UPDATE:

Bandicoot was soft released, this means he was able to come and go from his aviary, he took a few weeks moving out at night, then back in his burrow daytime in the aviary. Finally he felt secure, and left the aviary permanently.