Rufous Bettong
Aepyprymnus rufescen
Life span: 5-7 years
Size: head-body: 35-39cm/ tail: 35-39cm/ weight: 1.5-3.5kg.
Breeding: 9-12 months, breed all year round, a single young is born and stays in the pouch for 4months, then emerges from the pouch and suckles from the mother
Habit: nocturnal, solitary or found in small groups feeding
Diet: grasses, roots, herbs, seeds and tubers which they dig up using their forefeet
Voice: includes low hisses when alarmed or threatened, growls and grunts when interacting with other bettongs.
Conservation:
Found: in well grassed open forests, during the day they sleep in cone shaped nest that they have built at the base of a tussock or other native grasses. The nest is built by gathering grass in their mouth and carrying the grass back to the nest in their tail. The nest is then lined with the grass to make a soft dry bed.
*All Australia Native Animals are protected by the Fauna Protection Act. For more information call National Parks and Wildlife S.A ph: 81244972 or www.wildlifepermit.sa.gov.au