Numbat
By A.B
Description
- Classification- Marsupial
- Appearance- Color varies from soft grey to reddish-brown. Often has an area of dark red on the upper back. (Earth's Endangered Creatures, Numbat)
- Size- Range from 35-45cm long (14-18 inches). They can weigh between 280-700g (9.9-25 oz). (Earth's Endangered Creatures, Numbat)
Food Chain and Habitat
- Food Source- Eat mainly termites.
- Location of Food- Find their food in termite mounds.
- Red foxes, pythons, hawks and eagles are predators. (Wikipedia, Numbat, Ecology and Behavior)
- Location of the Numbat- Are found across southern Australia.
- Terrain- Are only found in the eucalypt forests. (Wikipedia, Numbat, Distribution and Habitat)
- Climate- The eucalypt forests are dry and hot.
- Home- Live in nests
- Homes are made from soft plant material such as grass, leaves, flowers, and shredded bark. (Wikipedia, Numbat, Distribution and Habitat)
Adaptations
- Have long tongues coated with sticky saliva so they can easily hunt termites. (Wikipedia, Numbat, Description)
- They have numerous ridges along the soft palate which help scrape the termites off of its tongue. (Wikipedia, Numbat, Description)
- Have a great sense of smell (Wikipedia, Numbat, Description)
- Have a high proportion of cone cells in the retina (Wikipedia, Numbat, Description)
Reasons for Endagerment
- Red fox
- A conservation program has succeeded in increasing the numbat population.
- Soon later, sightings had increased by a factor of 45. (Wikepedia, Numbat, Conservation status)
- Are still at risk for survival. There is still hope for the numbat before it is gone for good.