SPECIES: Potorous tridactylus tridactylus — Long-nosed Potoroo
CLASSIFICATION: Vulnerable
Don't mistake this marsupial for a Bandicoot, it is not! Though similar at a first glance, the vulnerable Long-nosed Potoroo is also related to the Kangaroo, and hops with its front feet tucked into its chest. They are a solitary animal, rarely spotted in the wild and prefer to shy away under the protection of thick ground-cover. The Long-nosed Potoroo is another of our ecological engineers. A major component of its diet is fungi, spores are then spread through droppings, providing nutrients to other plant species. As for many of our small native marsupials, threats to their species include predation by cats, dogs and foxes, and loss of habitat.
FAME's latest project, Securing a future for the Eastern Bettong (and its friends) will also help the Long-nosed Potoroo, as a collateral beneficiary species. For more info, visit the project page.