Episode Notes
What is mouse-sized, carnivorous, and gives birth to tiny fetal joeys? Lots of things probably, but this week dunnarts are the star of the show. Hailing from Australian grasslands, these fat-tailed little marsupials are losing their habitats before we’ve even figured out their social behaviors, but maybe their cute faces will help them sneak into charismatic species status.
Thanks for listening to our weekly exploration of why grasslands are the best biome. We’ll see you next week!
Primary Sources:
- Curnow, C., Lewis, P., et al. About the Dunnart. World Wildlife Fund. Accessed 12 March 2021. https://wwf.panda.org/discover/our_focus/wildlife_practice/profiles/mammals/dunnart/
- Dunnarts. Bush Heritage Australia. Accessed 12 March 2021. https://www.bushheritage.org.au/species/dunnarts
- Walker, K. (June 2012). Husbandry Guidelines Fat-Tailed Dunnart. Western Sydney Institute of TAFE, Richmond. https://aszk.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Mammals.-Fat-tailed-Dunnart-2012KW.pdf
- Jackson, S. (2003). Australian Mammals: Biology and Captive Management. CSIRO Publishing. ISBN 0643066357.
- Geggel, L. Why Are There So Many Marsupials in Australia? LiveScience, 3 Mar. 2019. https://www.livescience.com/64897-why-marsupials-in-australia.html