Shark Bay Bandicoot
Perameles bougainville
Australia's Threatened Species Category
Endangered
Listed since: 31/08/2023
IUCN's Threatened Species Category
Vulnerable
Listed since: 16/03/2014
Population trend: Stable
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 Shark Bay Bandicoot is the smallest of the bandicoots and is one of the long-nosed bandicoots. The only remnant wild populations occur on Bernier and Dorre Islands in Shark Bay, within the Shark Bay World Heritage Property, off Western Australia. Shark Bay Bandicoots are nocturnal omnivores, and shelter through the day in concealed nests or leaf litter. Nests are dug in a small hollow under shrubs.
Threats
The primary cause of the disappearance of Shark Bay Bandicoots is predation by feral cats and foxes and competition with introduced herbivores, particularly rabbits.
Quollity Conservation Hub's Vulnerability Score:
47
To help compare the relative vulnerability of different species, we have developed a scoring system based on biological and ecological characteristics that influence a species' ability to survive and recover from environmental change and natural disasters.
The framework is adapted from assessment methods used by conservation experts following the Black Summer bushfires to help identify species most in need of conservation action, research, and recovery funding.
Each species is assessed using a range of factors, including its conservation status, lifespan, reproductive rate, habitat and dietary requirements, ability to disperse or recover after fire, and the number and severity of threats it faces.
In general, the higher a species' score, the greater its overall vulnerability and risk of decline or extinction.
Like all conservation assessments, this scoring system is limited by the information currently available. Many threatened species remain poorly studied and receive limited research funding, meaning some assessments rely on the best available scientific knowledge or information from closely related species. As new research becomes available, scores may be updated to reflect our improved understanding.