Perameles – Long-nosed bandicoots

Found mostly in Australia and Papua New Guinea, these animals are quick-footed, long-snouted insect-eaters that play an important role in their ecosystems. Members of Perameles usually have a pointed snout, large ears, and a humped back, with strong hind legs that let them bound about like tiny kangaroos. Their front legs are armed with sharp claws designed for digging, making them expert soil turners.

While many marsupials specialize in either plants or meat, bandicoots are opportunistic feeders. They root through soil and leaf litter to uncover insects, grubs, worms, and fungi, but will also nibble on seeds, roots, and fruits. This makes them nature’s little gardeners, aerating the soil and helping to spread seeds as they forage. Unlike possums or kangaroos, which graze or climb, bandicoots are primarily ground-dwellers, always busy searching for a snack just under the surface.

Reproduction is another area where Perameles stands out. Bandicoots have one of the shortest pregnancies of any mammal, lasting just 12 days before the tiny, underdeveloped young crawl into the mother’s pouch to continue growing. This rapid reproductive cycle means they can raise several litters in a year, an advantage in environments where life can be unpredictable. Their pouches are also unusual—opening backwards, like a wombat’s—so they don’t fill with dirt when the mother digs.

Bandicoots are mostly nocturnal, scurrying out at night to feed, and their little conical holes in the soil—often called “snout pokes”—are a telltale sign of their presence. Because of their long legs and hunched shape, they have a distinctive galloping run that makes them look like tiny kangaroos bounding across the ground. Some species, like the long-nosed bandicoot (Perameles nasuta), are well known in eastern Australia, often venturing into suburban gardens where they happily dig up lawns for beetle larvae. Although this annoys gardeners, it actually benefits the soil by increasing nutrients and water absorption.