Brushy-tailed marsupial rat

Dasyuroides byrnei

Australia's Threatened Species Category

Endangered

Listed since: 15/11/2023

IUCN's Threatened Species Category

Vulnerable

Listed since: 15/06/2015

Population trend: Decreasing

Other names: Kowari, Byrne's crest-tailed marsupial rat

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 Kowari, also known as the brush-trailed marsupial rat is a ground dwelling carnivorous marsupial. The current distribution of the Kowari covers the arid zone in the south-western corner of Queensland and north-eastern corner of South Australia. They live in burrows dug into sand mounds that occur infrequently across stony gibbler plains. They are a solitary, nocturnal animals and feed predominantly on invertebrates such as grasshoppers, but also rodents, reptiles and birds.

Threats

The current threat which has caused the population decline to the Kowaris across their geographic range is the effect of introduced species, either through predation or habitat degradation and appears to be exacerbated by the effects of climate change, such as extreme drought and increased rainfall variability.