The pigfoot bandicoot is a small marsupial mammal that lived mainly in the arid regions of Australia. Since the middle of the XX century it is considered extinct. It is also known as the marsupial badger and the shrew.
Appearance of a canine bandicoot
This animal had an elongated sharp muzzle, long pointed ears and thin limbs. The jaws totaled 46-48 teeth. The body length was 23-26 cm, and the thin tail 10-15 cm. The coat was coarse, but without spines. The fur on the back had a brownish-gray or orange-brown hue, and on the belly it was white. On the upper side of the tail, a small comb of black, gray, and yellowish hair was sometimes observed.
The pigfoot bandicoot got its name because it had two fingers on its forelimbs, on the tips of which there were claw-claws resembling similar formations of artiodactyls. The hind legs had a completely different look: they ended with four vestigial and one enlarged finger.
The scientific name Chaeropus ecaudatus in Russian sounds like a tailless pig. The person who first noticed this animal in the history of biology believed that all representatives of this species were without tails. It was later discovered that that specimen during life for some reason lost this part of the body, but it was too late to change the name from the point of view of science.
Habitat and extinction
The pigfoot bandicoot was first described in the 19th century using specimens found in the northwestern region of the state of Victoria (Australia), as well as in the arid southern, western, and northern territories of the country. The last representative of this species was found near the drying Lake Eyre in 1907. However, it is assumed that the pig-footed bandicoots lasted until the 30s and 40s of the last century in remote areas of Western and Southern Australia. Animals of this species preferred semi-desert, steppe and savannah zones for living.
The main reason for the sharp decline in the population and ultimately extinction is considered to be grazing sheep and cattle in the habitats of bandicuts and eating them brought into Australia by foxes, cats and other predators.
For a long time, the natives who inhabited the country burned grassy plots of land, which allowed plants to quickly regenerate and provide marsupials with food. The European colonization of Australia stopped this process, which forced the bandicoots to look for a new dwelling, on the territory of which there would be everything necessary for their residence.
Lifestyle & Nutrition
Representatives of this species preferred loneliness. Activity was mainly at night, although often they could be met during the day. The lifestyle of the canine bandicoot depended on the environment. Some animals dug burrows of small depth, while others built nests on the surface of the earth.
These animals used various types of gait when moving. The bandicoots moved slowly if only the hind limbs were involved (like rabbits). For fast movement, the animals used all four legs, while their gait looked somewhat awkward. Aborigines reported that, if necessary, the canine bandicoots (photo you can see in the article) developed a very high speed.
In search of food, animals used the sense of smell. The digestive system and teeth of bandicoots indicate that they were omnivorous and preferred to eat plant roots, lettuce, grass, grasshoppers, termites, ants, and even meat.
Breeding
The pigfoot bandicoot had eight nipples. The females had bags opening at the back. Reproduction fell on May and June. The gestation period was very short - approximately twelve days. The birth of the bandicoots lasted about 10 minutes. The number of cubs in each offspring did not exceed two. The weight of each was 0.5 g. The next mating process took place about fifty days later, because by this time the offspring would cease to feed on their mother’s milk.
