Golden bandicoot

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Golden bandicoot[1] 
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Infraclass: Marsupialia
Order: Peramelemorphia
Family: Peramelidae
Genus: Isoodon
Species:
I. auratus
Binomial name
Isoodon auratus
(Ramsay, 1887)
Subspecies
  • I. a. auratus[a]
  • I. a. barrowensis
Golden bandicoot range

The golden bandicoot (Isoodon auratus;

Yolngu: Wan'kurra) is a short-nosed bandicoot
found in northern Australia. It is the smallest of its genus, and is distinguished from the brown bandicoots by its golden colouring and much smaller size.

It was once found throughout much of northern, central and western Australia, into south-western

Guluwuru Islands. Another subspecies, I. auratus barrowensis or golden bandicoot (Barrow Island), is found on Augustus, Barrow and Middle Islands off Western Australia (I. auratus barrowensis). As of 2023 the classification into subspecies is debated; however the whole species is classed as vulnerable species
.

Taxonomy

Earlier studies have suggested that the golden bandicoot (I. auratus) is closely related to the

mitochondrial DNA evidence suggested that these two species ought to be grouped into one species with three distinct subspecies, I. obesulus obesulus, I. o. peninsulae, and I. o. fusciventer. I. auratus would be included in the I. o. fusciventer subspecies.[4]

A third subspecies, I. a. arnhemensis has been recorded in Arnhem Land, NT, in the past,[5][3] from the 1930s to 1980s, but this is now thought to be I. a. auratus.[6]

I. obesulus and I. auratus appear to have been

allopatric ever since the Pleistocene. As of 2023, the IUCN determines that I. auratus is a single species with no subspecies, while Isoodon peninsulae is a separate species.[2]

Distribution

Range

The golden bandicoot was once found across most of northern, central and western Australia, as far as south-western New South Wales to the east.

Yampi Peninsula in northern Kimberley, as well as and Marchinbar Island in the Northern Territory.[8][2]

The subspecies I. a. arnhemensis was recorded in Arnhem Land[5][3] from the 1930s to 1980s, but this is now thought to be I. a. auratus. After the population was restricted to Marchinbar Island, groups were translocated and populations have been established on Raragala and Guluwuru Islands, also in the Wessel chain.[6]

The largest golden bandicoot population lives on Barrow Island, because no cats or foxes have been introduced to the island,[8] and other populations exist on Middle, Marchinbar, Augustus Islands.[2] Small populations on mainland Australia are located in the Northern Territory and Western Australia.[8] The golden bandicoot once lived all throughout Central Australia, but by 1992 it had been reduced to a small area in northwest Kimberly and Arnhem Land.[9] In 2000, it was assumed that the species was extinct on the mainland.[2]

It is also present in the Charnley River–Artesian Range Wildlife Sanctuary in the Kimberley.[10]

Habitat

The golden bandicoot lives in

tussock grasslands,[8][2] and it used to be widely distributed in arid deserts and the surrounding semi-arid areas as well as tropical forests and woodlands. In Northern Kimberley, it is found along the margins of rainforests lined with sandstone, and in the Yampi Peninsula it inhabits eucalypt woodlands.[8][2] On Augustus and Marchinbar Islands it lives amongst sandstone in hummock grassland and heath or eucalypt woodlands, and on Barrow and Middle Islands it is found in grasslands and coastal shrub. Its range once included the Gibson, Great Sandy, Great Victoria, Little Sandy, and Tanami deserts.[8] It is believed that the golden bandicoot disappeared from the deserts between the 1940s and 1960s.[3]

Population numbers

Individuals have a home range between 12–35 ha (30–86 acres), and the largest golden bandicoot population is on Barrow Island with about 20,000 individuals.[8][2] In fact, it is the most common mammal on the island.[2] On Middle Island it is estimated that there are about 1,000 individuals, and on Marchinbar Island there are roughly 1,400 individuals.[2][11] On mainland Australia, populations are sparse, and most population declines have occurred there.

Physical characteristics

External anatomy

The golden bandicoot is the smallest of its genus, and is distinguished from the more common northern brown bandicoots (Isoodon macrourus) by its much smaller size, golden colour and shape of its hairs, and its flatter, more elongated head.

succulents, insects, plant bulbs, and small reptiles. The golden bandicoot is nocturnal, foraging at night by digging small holes in the ground to find food.[8]

The golden bandicoot is quite rat-like in appearance due to its small body, hunched-over posture, and relatively long tail. The hind limbs are large and muscular compared to the short forelimbs. Each forefoot has three toes with flat claws, used for digging holes when hunting for prey. And, unlike most marsupials, the golden bandicoot has fused toes on its hind feet, forming a comb they use for grooming. All bandicoots in the genus Isoodon have short noses and small, rounded ears, and thus can be distinguished from most other bandicoots, which have longer noses and larger ears. Female golden bandicoots have eight

teats in the rear-opening pouch.[9]

Physiology

Living in hot, semi-arid environments, the golden bandicoot is well adapted to keeping cool. Indeed, it is one of only two extant bandicoot species that are especially suited for arid environments, the other one being the

heterothermic. This allows the internal body temperature to fluctuate in response to extreme environmental temperatures without inhibiting and denaturing necessary proteins. Additionally, it has a low basal metabolic rate, low thermal conductance, and low rate of evaporative water loss.[13] A low metabolic rate correlates to less heat being produced by the body, and a low thermal conductance does not allow the golden bandicoot to capture and store heat well. A highly efficient panting mechanism allows for a low rate of evaporative water loss when cooling the body,[13]
conserving precious water. This is an indispensable advantage in arid and dry environments.

Behaviour

Foraging

The golden bandicoot is

nocturnal. During the day, it sleeps in dense vegetation or a hollow tree, making nests out of sticks, leaves, and grass.[8][5][9][14] At night, it actively forages by digging shallow conical pits in the ground to root up succulents (their primary source of water), invertebrates, and plant roots.[5][9][14] Because of this, its vision and sense of smell are highly developed, allowing it to see in low light and detect prey items by smell when digging.[9] The golden bandicoot will also burrow in the soil if the temperature rises in order to keep cool.[14]

Reproduction

Breeding occurs throughout the year and peaks during the wet season (December January) and the dry season (August).[5][14] Amongst marsupials, the golden bandicoot is known to have one of the highest reproductive rates, and it has one of the shortest gestation periods for mammals, only about 12 days.[9][14] There are about 2–3 young per litter, and they remain in the pouch of the mother for up to 8 weeks.[9][14] After this, there is little to no parental care, which allows the golden bandicoot to be such a prolific breeder.[14]

Threats

Competition

Several factors have contributed to the decline of golden bandicoot numbers throughout the century including introduced species, exotic predators, and loss of habitat. On Middle and Barrow Islands, competition with the introduced black rat (Rattus rattus) reduced golden bandicoot numbers significantly in the 1990s, but the black rat was successfully eradicated from these islands in 1993.[2][15] Since then golden bandicoot numbers have increased five-fold.[2][15] Additional competition comes from various rabbit species.[8][2]

Predation

Large birds are the primary, natural predator of the golden bandicoot, but many predatory species have been introduced within its range.

feral dogs, and Aboriginal people have been known to hunt them as well.[2][3]
Wild dogs were present on the Marchinbar until 2004 or 2005, when they were eradicated.

The greatest threat to the species has been, and remains, feral cats.[6][17][18]

Habitat alteration

Changes in fire regions have been cited as another major factor in the decline of the golden bandicoot.[8][2][9] Reduced groundcover due to fires makes the golden bandicoot more exposed to predation,[2] but it has been reported that the golden bandicoot prefers areas that have been burnt relatively recently, as these have fresh new vegetation close to the ground.[3]

Conservation

Status

With the last assessment done in 2012, the golden bandicoot was listed as vulnerable on the IUCN Red List.[2]

As of 2023 both subspecies are classed as vulnerable under the

Vic.), and as vulnerable under the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 (WA),[17] while I.a. barrowensis is only listed on the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 (WA) (as vulnerable).[18]

Recovery plans 2003–2015

A national recovery plan for the golden bandicoot and the

golden-backed tree rat (Mesembriomys macrurus) was established in 2003 for a five-year period between 2004–2009 with the following management priorities:[11]

  1. Form management arrangements between agencies, land managers, and land owners
  2. Form a multiple species recovery team to attack the issue of multiple species decline in northern Australia
  3. Monitor population trends
  4. Translocate golden bandicoots from Marchinbar Island to two other islands and follow up on said populations
  5. Identify the key components that affect critical weight range of tropical savannah mammals
  6. Develop educational materials to effectively communicate to stakeholders
  7. Inform and involve the community in recovery process

This recovery plan, adopted for this species on 11 April 2005, ceased to be in effect from 1 October 2015, and there is no recovery plan deemed necessary as of 2023. Instead, there is an "approved Conservation Advice [which] is an effective, efficient, and responsive document to guide the implementation of priority management actions, mitigate key threats, and support the recovery of this

EPBC Act listed Vulnerable species".[17]

Translocation and other efforts

In the Northern Territory, both the government and the Gumurr Marthakal Rangers[b] are involved in a collaborative program to ensure the survival of the species. By 2021, many of the expired recovery plan objectives had been implemented. Ongoing priorities in the NT include:[6]

  1. to better safeguard the existing populations, by keeping Marchinbar Island cat-free; encouragement of traditional Aboriginal burning practices; and continuing monitoring of the populations
  2. to continue to manage translocated populations
  3. to investigate whether any animals still live on the mainland of north-east Arnhem Land

In June 2023, the Darran.gu Wulagura women's

Charnley River-Artesian Range Wildlife Sanctuary in northern WA, involved trapping, examining, and identifying 94 individual golden bandicoots over the six nights. The objective was to ensure that translocation of some of the animals would not negatively affect the existing population.[19] In August 2023, the joint teams translocated 40 of the animals from the Charnley River-Artesian Range Sanctuary to the 9,450-hectare (23,400-acre) Newhaven Wildlife Sanctuary, which is located around 360 km (220 mi) north-west of Alice Springs. These would be joined by a further 60 bandicoots from Barrow Island the following week.[20]

In culture

The animal, known as Wan'kurra in the

Gumatj people of Arnhem Land. It is a common motif in the work of artist Nancy Gaymala Yunupingu, often running through scrubland.[22]

It used to be referred to as "old people’s food" by some Aboriginal people, because of their slow pace.[14]

Footnotes

  1. ^ See #Taxonomy
  2. ^ Gumurr Marthakal is a ward in the East Arnhem Region.

References

  1. OCLC 62265494
    .
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t Burbidge, A. A.; Woinarski, J. (2016). "Isoodon auratus". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. 2016. Retrieved 7 July 2023. Golden Bandicoot Isoodon auratus has most recently been assessed for The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species in 2012. Isoodon auratus is listed as Vulnerable under criteria B2ab(i,ii,iii,iv,v).
  3. ^ a b c d e f South Alligator River. "Golden bandicoot; Isoodon auratus." PDF from [Irm.nt.gov.au]
  4. ^ Zenger, Kyall R., Mark DB Eldridge, and Peter G. Johnston. "Phylogenetics, population structure and genetic diversity of the endangered southern brown bandicoot (Isoodon obesulus) in south-eastern Australia." Conservation Genetics 6.2 (2005): 193–204
  5. ^ a b c d e f g Survey guidelines for Australia's threatened mammals PDF from www.environment.gov.au › EPBC Act › Publications and resources
  6. ^ a b c d e f g "Golden bandicoot" (PDF). Threatened species of the Northern Territory. Northern Territory Government. Department of Environment, Parks and Water Security. November 2021.
  7. Australian Zoologist
    . 27:36–37.
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m "Golden Bandicoot". Animal Info. 5 January 2005.
  9. ^ a b c d e f g h i "ARKive - Golden bandicoot videos, photos and facts - Isoodon auratus". Archived from the original on 28 July 2012. Retrieved 25 November 2012.
  10. ^ "Charnley River – Artesian Range: ACE". Australian Wildlife Conservancy. Retrieved 2 January 2021.
  11. ^ a b c Palmer, Carol, R. Taylor, and Andrew A. Burbidge. Recovery Plan for the Golden Bandicoot Isoodon Auratus and Golden-backed Tree-rat Mesembriomys Macrurus, 2004–2009. Department of Infrastructure, Planning and Environment, 2003.
  12. ^ Menkhorst, Peter (2001). A Field Guide to the Mammals of Australia. Oxford University Press. p. 76.
  13. ^ a b c d Dickman, Chris R. Overview of the impacts of feral cats on Australian native fauna. Canberra: Australian Nature Conservation Agency, 1996
  14. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Golden Bandicoot". Archived from the original on 6 September 2004. Retrieved 25 November 2012.
  15. ^ a b Morris, K. D. "The eradication of the black rat (Rattus rattus) on Barrow and adjacent islands off the north-west coast of Western Australia." Turning the tide: the eradication of invasive species 27 (2002): 219–225.
  16. ^ Larcombe, Alexander N., Philip C. Withers, and Andrew K. Krockenberger. "Metabolic and ventilatory physiology of the Barrow Island golden bandicoot (Isoodon auratus barrowensis) and the northern brown bandicoot (Isoodon macrourus)." Journal of Thermal Biology, 33.6 (2008): 337–344.
  17. ^
    Species Profile and Threats Database. Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, Australian Government. Retrieved 6 July 2023. Text may have been copied from this source, which is available under a Attribution 3.0 Australia (CC BY 3.0 AU)
    licence.
  18. ^ licence.
  19. ^ Williams, Eddie (4 July 2023). "WA's new Indigenous women's ranger team help threatened golden bandicoot survive". ABC News (Australia). Retrieved 7 July 2023.
  20. ^ Stimpson, Lara (18 August 2023). "Golden Bandicoots return to Central Australia after 56-year absence". ABC News (Australia). Retrieved 18 August 2023.
  21. ^ French, Jackie; Dank, Debra. "Wan'kurra The Golden Bandicoot". Diane Lucas. Book reviews of Wan'kurra The Golden Bandicoot. Retrieved 5 July 2022.
  22. ^ Angel, Anita (3 February 2011). "(Nancy) Gaymala Yunupingu". Charles Darwin University. Retrieved 5 July 2022.