The Numbat is a short-legged marsupial approximately 8-10 inches in length and weighs about 9 to 16 ounces. It has a pointed snout, short ears and grayish brown fur with a series of white ring like stripes around its body. It has a tail that ends with a bunch of long hairs. The Numbat has a long tongue for eating termites that can stretch out to half the length of its body. It has 52 teeth that are all different to each other in shape and size.
The Numbat is a natural enemy of ants and termites because they are its preferred food source. Not much is known about predators of the numbat, but because it is a rather small animal it would probably fall prey to larger carnivores such as dogs, cats, and foxes that have been introduced to its area. It is a grayish brown color with white stripes on its back which is a suitable color for hiding in and around tree cavities and fallen tree trunks.
It lives in the wooden areas of Australia. It lives in tree cavities or holes in the ground, when raising the young these serve as nests. The Numbat needs a habitat with a large population of ants or termites since they are the Numbat s main food source.
The destruction of its natural habitat is one of the main reasons for its endangerment. This is caused by urban development, therefore leaving no trees for it to live in or to raise their young. It has also fallen prey to dogs, cats and foxes that have been introduced into its area by Europeans and other non-native Australians. Exact numbers of the Numbat population are unknown, probably because it is so hard to find, meaning that it is endangered. There is no real history of its population decline on the endangered species list due to this fact.
Fortunately, the Numbat s main distribution area falls within several natural wildlife reserves. In these reserves the Numbat and other animals are protected by law. People can t contribute to the execution of these creatures any longer. The entrances to these reserves are guarded by police and other wildlife officials. Any one found disturbing their habitat can be fined and even jailed.
My awareness about such animals like the Numbat, and the conservation measures taken to ensure its survival has been very beneficial. But I believe that more can be done for the conservation of the Numbat and other animals in its situation, such as the eradication of the un-natural predators such as the fox would greatly reduce the population decline of the Numbat and would help rid our country of the feral cat and dog population.