15 Interesting Facts About Numbats

1. The numbat is a small Australian carnivorous marsupial mammal. It is the only living member of its family, Myrmecobiidae. Its other names are “noombat” and “banded anteater.”
2. The closest relatives of numbats are other carnivorous marsupials, such as Tasmanian devils, quolls, dunnarts, dibblers, etc.
3. Numbats are insectivorous animals and depend almost entirely on termites for food. It is the only marsupial with this selected diet. An adult numbat can eat up to 20,000 termites daily to fulfill its dietary requirements. They may accidently eat ants present near termites.
4. Numbats were once widespread in southern Australia. However, their locality started to decrease after the arrival of Europeans and are now limited to two small parts of southwest Western Australia. Major reasons behind their disappearance are the introduction of invasive mammals (red foxes and domestic cats) and the clearing of their natural habitat by Europeans.
5. Numbats are now naturally present only in the Upper Warren and Dryandra Woodland, two regions in Western Australia. The estimated collective population of these mammals in these areas was 1,300. However, research using remote sensor camera traps in 2022 proved that there are nearly 1,900 (instead of 500) numbats in Upper Warren. Individual numbats are identifiable due to their unique stripe patterns. Small populations of these animals are also present in several predator-proof enclosures. (Source) 

   

   Each numbat has a unique stripe pattern

   
   
6. The numbat is the official animal emblem of Western Australia. The Australian state awarded this position to this endangered species in 1973.
7. The body length of numbats is 8 to 11 inches. The separate length of their long bushy tails is 5 to 8 inches.
8. Unlike other marsupials, numbats are exclusively diurnal, which makes their skin and fur different from their relatives. They absorb more solar heat than most mammals, while their coat resistance is far lower than other marsupials. (Source)
9. Numbats have up to 52 teeth, the highest among marsupials. These also include a unique cheek tooth between premolars and molars. However, they do not use these teeth for chewing food (termites). (Source)
10. Numbats use their long-pointed nose to smell their prey in small spaces. Their strong claws assist them in digging shallow soil to reach termite galleries. They also utilize their long (nearly 10 cm) and sticky tongues to catch termites from logs, small holes, and leaf litter.
11. A female numbat usually gives birth to four young ones in summer after a gestation period of 14 days, one of the shortest among mammals. Unlike many other marsupials, numbats are without pouch. Therefore, the babies attach themselves to the teats of their mothers for six months.
12. Numbats are most active according to the activity of termites. This period is morning and evening during summer and nearly midday during winter.
13. Two invasive species (feral cats and red foxes) are the biggest danger for numbats. However, they also have several native predators, such as birds of prey (wedge-tailed eagles, falcons, etc.) and reptiles (goannas, carpet pythons, and others).
14. Numbats are solitary and territorial animals. Males and females only meet during the mating season. They have a large home range, and males can establish their range at about 50 hectares. Adults remain in their home range for their entire life.
15. Logs in bushland play a vital role in the survival of numbats. These marsupials use logs to take shelter from predators and find termites, their sole food source. Therefore, removing logs from their habitat for firewood can cause their extinction.