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Post by another specialist on Sept 10, 2007 10:52:56 GMT
sebbe wrote
Macrotis lagotis grandis
Competition with rabbits for nesting burrows together with fox predation contributed to the complete disappearance of the largest known bilby species. These animals seems to have become extinct sometime before 1930. Its sometimes called Nalpa bilby after its last stronghold near Lake Alexandrina in South Australia.
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Post by another specialist on Sept 10, 2007 10:53:18 GMT
although this is not the subspecies that became extinct - a reintroduction of another subspecies has been introduced into the area.... Greater Bilby Macrotis lagotis The Greater Bilby is a large, burrowing, nocturnal bandicoot. It digs extensively for the seeds, bulbs and invertebrates that constitute its diet. The Greater Bilby has declined since European settlement, and although still found in the arid interior of the Northern Territory, Western Australia and Queensland, the species has undergone a more than 80% reduction in its range, again due to a combination of increased predation by cats and foxes and degraded habitat caused by rabbits and stock. In April 2000, nine Greater Bilbies were obtained from the South Australian Bilby Recovery Team Captive Breeding Facility. Carefully selected to maximize genetic diversity, they were then released into the main exclosure of the Arid Recovery Reserve. None of the female bilbies were with pouch young on release, but within 8 weeks pouch young were recorded in all females. Breeding has been continuous ever since, with second generation young now recorded out of the pouch. Pouch young were still being recorded during the very hot summer of 2001 despite over 40 degree temperatures and dry conditions. More than 300 bilbies currently inhabit the Reserve. This reintroduction represents the first time bilbies have been present in the South Australian arid zone since their local extinction in the 1930s. www.aridrecovery.org.au/reserve/fauna_reintroductions.htm |
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Post by another specialist on Sept 10, 2007 10:53:41 GMT
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Post by another specialist on Sept 10, 2007 10:54:12 GMT
melanie wrote
A b/w sketch can be found in "Doomsday book of animals".
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Post by another specialist on Sept 10, 2007 10:54:37 GMT
Australian Mammal Gould Print Images John Gould print image of the Bilby Macrotis lagotis (formerly known as Peragalea lagotis)  Photo from "Mammals of Australia", Vol. I Plate 7 Part of the 3 Volumes by John Gould, F.R.S. Published by the author, 26 Charlotte Street, Bedford Square, London, 1863 Reproduction Photo by Marnie Rawlinson, Cathy Accurso and Ken Walker © Museum Victoria www.museum.vic.gov.au/bioinformatics/mammals/images/Pgl_lago.htm |
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Post by another specialist on Sept 10, 2007 10:54:55 GMT
Two species and three subspecies of the larger Macrotis have been described. Thomas (1905) established Macrotis sagitta on the basis of material from Killalpaninna, east of Lake Eyre in South Australia. He regarded it as a distinct species on the basis of smaller size, paler tone of the pelage and shorter black section of the tail. Jones (1923) erected M. nigripes from material collected near Ooldea, South Australia by A.G. Bolam on the basis that the manus and pes were black. He regarded the small palatine vacuities as diagnostic and that the strikingly small teeth, especially the molars, made it distinct from M. sagitta. Troughton (1932) suppressed Macrotis sagitta and M. nigripes and relegated them to subspecific status, a view supported by Tate (1948). Troughton (1932) also established an additional three subspecies, Macrotis lagotis cambrica from eastern New South Wales, M. lagotis grandis from south of Adelaide, South Australia and M. lagotis interjecta from Rawlinna in Western Australia. The former was distinguished from M. lagotis sagitta by its woollier fur, larger size and more fuscous coloration. The second was distinguished by its large size and relatively shorter ears; and the third by its smaller size and shorter and woollier fur than the nominate subspecies. From PDF file Peter sourced |
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Post by another specialist on Sept 10, 2007 10:56:25 GMT
A few Australians are actually starting to hate rabbits because of their disasterous competition against bandicoots. Did you know that, in that country, they have started to lense, in Easter days, chocolate bandicoots instead of rabbits, in stores? Yeah, I saw that on tv, its a very good idea ! The rabbit was introduced to Britain and now are a nuisance according to farmers. But I doubt there is much people can do about it. A friend of mine suggested a bounty on the heads of species unwanted so £1 a Grey squirrel, £10 a Sika deer. Kids could get in on the act too. Setting traps and learning valuable skills. Cause some times I don't think hes all there, any comments? By the way why is it called a rabbit-bandicoot? Hi ! Because of its long ears.  It lookes more like a hare. |
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Post by another specialist on Sept 10, 2007 10:56:42 GMT
Greater Bilby Once common across many areas of Australia - especially in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s - the Grater Bilby population is now very vulnerable. Today it is only found in areas of the Tanami Desert in the Northern Territory, the Great Sandy Desert, Gibson Desert, Pilbara and Kimberley areas of Western Australia. There is also one population in south-west Queensland. The Greater Bilby has soft fur that is mainly blue-grey with a creamy-white coloured ‘belly’ with two fawn stripes on each hip. It has a black-grey tail with white hairs near the end. Bilbies are the biggest member of the bandicoot family and grow up to 55cm long with a tail up to 29cm long. An adult male weighs about 2kg, while females weigh about 1 kg. The Greater Bilby is active at night, but in the daytime it rests in burrows that spiral downwards for about 2 metres. The opening to the burrow is usually hidden by a small bush, clump of grass or a termite mound. A bilby can use up to 12 burrows at a time. www.samuseum.sa.gov.au/orig/extinctions/stockjnl.htm |
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Post by another specialist on Sept 10, 2007 10:57:03 GMT
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Post by another specialist on Sept 10, 2007 10:57:23 GMT
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Post by another specialist on Sept 10, 2007 11:10:25 GMT
melanie wrote A b/w sketch can be found in "Doomsday book of animals".  |
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Post by another specialist on Sept 10, 2007 13:07:43 GMT
Victorian Mammal Images Mount of a Bilby Macrotis lagotis    Photo by Ken Walker © Museum Victoria www.museum.vic.gov.au/ |
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Post by another specialist on Sept 10, 2007 13:10:34 GMT
Victorian Mammal Images Front foot from below, of a Bilby Macrotis lagotis  Specimen Reg. No. C 28890 Photo by Simon Hinkley and Ken Walker © Museum Victoria Hind foot from below, of a Bilby Macrotis lagotis  Specimen Reg. No. C 5893 Photo by Simon Hinkley and Ken Walker © Museum Victoria www.museum.vic.gov.au/ |
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Post by another specialist on Sept 10, 2007 13:15:19 GMT
Victorian Mammal Images Interior head, showing skull from underneath and the jaw from above, of a Bilby Macrotis lagotis  Specimen Reg. No. C 2774. Locality: Alice Springs, Northern Territory Scale line equals 2cms. Photo by Simon Hinkley and Ken Walker © Museum Victoria Exterior head, showing skull from above and jaw from below, of a Bilby Macrotis lagotis  Specimen Reg. No. C 2774. Locality: Alice Springs, Northern Territory Scale line equals 2cms. Photo by Simon Hinkley and Ken Walker © Museum Victoria Head, showing skull and jaw side on, of a Bilby Macrotis lagotis  Specimen Reg. No. C 2774. Locality: Alice Springs, Northern Territory Scale line equals 2cms. Photo by Simon Hinkley and Ken Walker © Museum Victoria www.museum.vic.gov.au/The images above likelt belong to one of the other subspecies |
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Post by another specialist on Jan 6, 2008 20:34:16 GMT
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Post by surroundx on May 6, 2018 2:24:16 GMT
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It lookes more like a hare.
