Kangaroo Island Dunnart

Sminthopsis griseoventer aitkeni

Australia's Threatened Species Category

Endangered

Listed since: 27/08/2023

IUCN's Threatened Species Category

Least Concern

Listed since: 15/06/2015

Population trend: Unknown

Other names: None

Priority Species? No

The Australian government's Threatened Species Action Plan 2022-2032 selected over 100 priority species derive from consultation with threatened species experts and the wider community. While all species are important, focusing on a limited number of species can help target effort and resources so that outcomes can be achieved, measured and shared.

Description

The Kangaroo Island Dunnart is endemic to Kangaroo Island and is the only dunnart found on the island. The Kangaroo Island Dunnart occurs across a broad range of native vegetation types within its distribution which is consistent with observations of the closely related common dunnart, which occurs in a broad range of habitat types on the Australian mainland. Most dunnarts are opportunistic carnivores whose diet consists almost entirely of ground dwelling invertebrates primarily spiders, crickets, beetles, ants, and termites.

Threats

The Kangaroo Island Dunnart is presumed to be threatened by feral cat predation, which may have been exacerbated by the 2019�20 bushfires, due to the landscape becoming more open and accessible for cats. Other key threats include habitat loss and fragmentation associated with land clearance and development, vegetation dieback caused by Phytophthora cinnamomi, and the effects of climate change on fire regimes and habitat quality.