Northern Brush Tailed Bettong

Apperance
The Northern Brush-tailed Bettongs are small, ground dwelling marsupials belonging to the potoroo family. The tail is prehensile and is used to carry materials. Bettongs have strongly clawed forefeet, used for digging for food and nest making. Their coat consists of a brownish-grey and the below is more paler than the top. It has a bushy black/brown tip on its tail.

Length
The Brush tailed Bettong has head and body length is 30-38cm, with a tail length of 29-36cm.
Weight
The Brush Tailed Bettong weighs about 1.2kg.

Habitat
Brush-tailed Bettongs live in a nest made of grass and shredded bark built over a shallow depression scraped in the ground under a bush or other cover. It occurs in areas with less fertile soils rather than areas with rich soils. This is because of the fungal fruiting bodies which constitute an important part of its diet are most abundant in soils with low fertility. It is generally found above 400m elevation.

Eating and Diet habits
The diet consists of seeds, tubers, bulbs, insects, fungi and resin. In the wild water is obtained through the diet. Fungal fruiting bodies sre the most important in their diet.

Predators
The Brush Tailed Bettong has many predators and competion for food like feral pigs and rabbits.

Breeding Habits
The northern bettong breeds throughout the year. A young northern bettong is carried in a pouch until it is able to follow its mother around.

Numbers

Locations
In Western Australia Brush-tailed Bettong colonies remain and have expanded from Tutanning Nature Reserve, Perup Nature Reserve and Dryandra State Forest. In South Australia they have been introduced to Venus Bay, Venus Bay Island, Wedge Island and St. Peter Island Conservation Park and Yookamurra Sanctuary.

Problem

clearing of native vegetation for agriculture.
fox and cat predation.
competition from rabbits.
the introduction of grazing animals (e.g. sheep and cattle).
altered fire regimes which affect vegetation composition.
competion with feral pigs for same fungal fruiting body.
Diversion of rivers and creeks for human resources.

Solutions

fox baiting.
Vermin-proof fencing.
There are also several captive breeding programs being undertaken by non-government organisations including the Marsupial Society, Yookamurra and Warrawong Sanctuaries, and the Adelaide Zoo.
inform the public about threatened species issues.
encourage habitat retention and restoration.
encourage the community-based collection of more information about the species and its habitat.
ongoing habitat management.
ongoing vermin control and eradication.
translocation to other sites.
captive breeding and establishing new colonies.
ongoing monitoring and biological studies.
genetic assessment of all populations.
support your local environment groups.
raise money for the rehabilitation of sites for brush-tailed bettongs.
learn more about endangered animals, particularly those native to your area.
be a responsible pet owner so they do not impact on bettongs or other wildlife.
help in the eradication of foxes, cats and rabbits.
protect remnant native vegetation under Heritage Agreement and by excluding stock .
revegetate cleared land with indigenous plants.