Fat-tailed Dunnart

Description:

Small carnivorous marsupial. This Dunnart was about 8cm long (head and body) with a slightly shorter heavy tail. Large ears and eyes with a sharp muzzle. Underparts pale, dorsal surface generally a mousey brown/grey with a paler face. Its name derives from the fact that during times of plenty to eat this Dunnart stores fat around its tail making it swell. At this time of the year the fat reserves have been used up over winter and it was still quite cold.

Habitat:

Generally quite common in this predominately open grassland area near Deniliquin, NSW, Australia. Nocturnal habit.

Notes:

Although this little guy has a cute 'mouse-like' appearance, it is in fact in the same family as larger carnivorous marsupials such as the Quoll's and Tasmanian Devil! It eats mainly insects but will also take small reptiles and rodents if it can subdue them.