Leah Drendel

EASTERN BARRED BANDICOOT

DescriptionColour

The bandicoot is a yellowish brown colour with grey on its underside, It has also got at least 3 to 4 distinguishing lighter brown-grey bands across its hindquarters.

Size

It is similar in size to a small rabbit.

DietIts diet consists of invertebrates including crickets, beetles, worms and earthworms, it also eats plant materials, such as berries tubers and bulbs. It uses its long nose to dig into the dirt to find food, and when food is located it will dig recklessly. They leave funnel shaped holes after digging.

The Eastern Barred Bandicoot is nocturnal

HabitatThe bandicoot is usually found in an environment with tall native grasslands and woodlands, but because of its habitat deconstruction for farming land, these bandicoots have adapted to environments that have been modified to keep out predators and have plenty of shelter. In Victoria, the males home range varies between 13 to 20 hectares and it is around 2 to 3 for the females with some overlap between them in some areas.

http://bird.net.au/bird/index.php?title=Eastern_Barred_Bandicoot

http://www.parks.tas.gov.au/index.aspx?base=4045

http://www.hobartcity.com.au/go/backyardbandicoots/images/map.gif

ReproductionBreeding can occur at any time during the year but mostly occurs during July to November. For breeding's to be successful, availability of water, food and shelter is a priority. Each litter has an average of 2 to 3 young. Gestation lasts just 12 days, so they can have several litters each year. Young are weaned at 55 days, the offspring then forage with their mother for another 31 days until they become independent. Because the bandicoots can have a certain amount of offspring each year the population should rise dramatically. The problem is, not many survive because of habitat deconstruction and predators.https://

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Conservation Status• In Victoria the conservation status

of the Eastern Barred Bandicoot is Critically endangered under the Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act. 1988.

• The species is not quite as threatened throughout the whole of Australia, and is Listed as Endangered under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.

• In Tasmania the species is listed as Vulnerable.

• The estimated population size for the Victorian Eastern Barred bandicoot is 150 individuals

http://bird.net.au/bird/index.php?title=Eastern_Barred_Bandicoot

http://t2.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcS2fDv9TfKQDFN8P_jRvdJA4wSCoHx6jKVdiecdaDsoK9WAhTzt

Populations at a Low If the populations get to an extremely low amount, not only will the species have the risk of becoming extinct, but if the populations were to grow a lot of inbreeding would occur and the recessive traits will occur more often, and these recessive traits do not always have their advantages. Demographic variation could occur as well which means that if there is a low number of species only females could be born in one season but no males. If this occurs no breeding will occur, so the numbers will once again drop. Genetic swamping may also occur if there is two separate populations, one being larger than the other, with the larger population over-running the smaller population and wiping out their genetics. At times when all of the above occurs especially inbreeding the genetics are all the same and if a disease is brought to the population by one animal it could wipe out the whole lot because there is no variation within the genetics and they are not immune to it.

ThreatsThe main threats to the EBB is predators, such as foxes, cats and dogs. Over 99% of the state's native grasslands and grassy woodlands where EBB’s are most commonly found, have been destroyed. This occurs from the clearing of woodlands, establishment of exotic pasture grasses, grazing by domestic stock, altered fire regimes, addition of fertilisers, the introduction of rabbits and drought.

http://bird.net.au/bird/index.php?title=Eastern_Barred_Bandicoot

https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcR1L9LWOvM8pbYNvrkkdkKPBfcY0NxkPOo5K-eOJpX2-ne5u5tWLw

Helping the environmentMost farmers find the bandicoots as pests like rabbits, because of all the holes they dig when looking for food. But in fact the bandicoots are digging for and eating the grass eating grubs that eat the roots of the grasses in your backyard. If the Eastern barred Bandicoot was to become extinct, these grubs would eat at the roots of the grass and would die as they can not get the water and air supply that they need to survive. The Ebb helps in a way, if you want a nice green lawn. Apart from several little holes. Not only benefitting from a green backyard but there is still a food supply for stock. But if there were no bandicoots the stock will have no food and become undernourished, and become no good for sale if you were looking to make a profit.

http://www.pbase.com/wildlifeimages/image/141183874

http://ggs3.wikispaces.com/Eastern+barred+Bandicoot

Recovery PlansThere are many plans to help save the EBB from extinction. The Melbourne Zoo is running a breeding program to grow the numbers of the population and hopefully reintroduce them into the wild. They hope to release about 50 EBB’s every year. There are two self-breeding reserves that are protected by fox proof fences at Hamilton Community Parklands and Woodlands Historic Park. The species is also re-introduced into the wild without any fox proof fences at ‘Mooramong’ near Skipton, Lake Goldsmith Wildlife Reserve near Beaufort, Floating Islands Nature Reserve near Colac and on a private property ‘Lanark’ at Branxholme.

The population sizes have been declining since the 1900’s, so the recorvery plan is now focusing on developing the more resilient sites, Woodlands, Moomerong, Hamilton and Mt Rothwell. All other reserves that are proven to be ‘non productive’ will be abandoned.http://

parkweb.vic.gov.au/get-involved/volunteer/eastern-barred-bandicoots-volunteer-program

https://www.google.com.au/search?q=national+recovery+plan+for+the+eastern+barred+bandicoot&safe=active&source

Actions for Hamilton and Mooramong

Hamilton• Contains a 100 ha fenced off fox

proof area.• There is an estimate of 120

bandicoots in the area, this was recorded over 5 nights instead of the usual 2, to get more accurate results, In November 2012. The population was estimated to have reached about 200 in 2011.

• Control Predators• Manage kangaroo numbers to

prevent overgrazing• Maintain predator proof barrier fence.• Manage environmental weeds• Involve the community in the

recovery program• Hopefully monitor more than once a

year.

Mooramong• Mooramong is a private

property, containing approximately 1500 ha

• Control Predators

• Monitoring population once a year.

• Make habitat improvements, and protect it from fires

• Involve the community to promote t.he recovery program

http://www.fieldherpforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=19215

Actions for Woodlands and Mt Rothwell

Woodlands Historic Park• Monitor and Manage Predators• Upgrade Fencing• Reintroduce bandicoots from

captive breeding• Monitor the condition of the

habitat• Undertake population

monitoring• Covers an are of around 300 ha.• 45 EBB’s were released with

other captive animals and relocated animals.

• 3 new born unchipped bandicoots were recorded in December 2013.

Mt Rothwell• Build and renew predator

barrier fences.• Manage all mammalian

grazing pressure to prevent overgrazing

• Also monitor the population and the condition of the habitat

• The bandicoot was in competition with increasing rabbit populations and natural predators. But with control programs over the rabbits, the is an estimated population of about 300.

EvaluationWith the help from the Werribee Open Range zoo, The EBB’s are able to reproduce in the 36 breeding pods that have been designed to help the EBB’s if the conditions are right. With the right conditions. Each female Bandicoot is able to breed up to 5 joeys per litter, 5 times a year, although there is usually 2 to 3 joeys usually born. But if the Melbourne zoo is breeding up to 50 EBB’s a year and say approximately half of them are females, which will be used for breeding later on. The populations should rise. If each female has a successful breeding and at least 3 young are born each litter 5 times. That’s 15 for each bandicoot. 15 x 25 = 375. If the breeding in captivity goes well there could be another 375 EBB’s reintroduced into the wild again each year. If extremes were to occur and the 25 females had 5 young per litter, 5 times a year at 25 young per female. 625 could be released each year.

In my opinion, If the breeding plans are to be successful hopefully the Eastern Barred Bandicoot will be less endangered and further away from extinction. Not only the breeding plans but the regularity of checking the predator proof fences and monitoring of the species will be an incredibility because if they weren’t monitored and checked regularly, foxes and cats could have found way in and endangering the bandicoots, downgrading their population. I think that if the fences are checked as regular as every 1 to 2 weeks then it would make a huge improvement, as well as the monitoring.

Bibliographyhttp://bird.net.au/bird/index.php?title=Eastern_Barred_Bandicoot

Viewed 19th May

http://www.zoo.org.au/werribee/animals/eastern-barred-bandicoot

Viewed 19th May

http://museumvictoria.com.au/melbournemuseum/discoverycentre/wild/victorian-environments/grasslands/eastern-barred-bandicoot/

Viewed 19th May

http://www.hobartcity.com.au/go/backyardbandicoots/images/map.gif

Viewed 23rd May

http://www.parks.tas.gov.au/file.aspx?id=6385

Viewed 23rd May

http://parkweb.vic.gov.au/get-involved/volunteer/eastern-barred-bandicoots-volunteer-program

Viewed 23rd May

http://www.dse.vic.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0012/103143/004__Eastern_Barred_Bandicoot_2009.pdf

Viewed 23rd May

http://vceenviroscience.edublogs.org/

Viewed 23rd May