Despite being the faunal emblem of Western Australia, the numbat is in danger of extinction. However, there is some good news. Efforts are being made to restore the numbat's habitat through reforestation and the removal of invasive species. Zoos and wildlife sanctuaries are implementing breeding programs to increase the numbat population and genetic diversity. Efforts are also being made to educate local communities about the importance of the numbat and how they can help with conservation efforts.
Learn more about these fascinating animals below.
Fun facts about Numbats!
Numbats can eat about 20,000 termites each day, which they lick up with their long sticky tongue.
Their tongues are about 10cm long.
They live alone.
They are active in the daytime.
They are on the endangered species list because of habitat loss and predators.
They can live around 5 years in the wild.
Even though they’re also known as the banded anteater, they only eat ants by accident.
They are only about 2 centimeters long when they are born.
The babies stay with their mothers 10-12 months after they are born.
Baby numbats are called pups.
They are marsupials but don’t have pouches for their babies like kangaroos.
They live in hollow tree logs, or they make a burrow in the ground.
They can run up to 20 mph.
They are between the size of a large squirrel and a wild hare.
They have a strong sense of smell.
They don’t have to drink water. They get all of their hydration from their food.
Their predators include hawks, eagles, falcons, foxes, goannas, pythons, and cats.
Play the Numbat Jigsaw puzzle below:
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