The Numbat: Australia's Striped Anteater You've Never Heard Of

Lyla, California, Age 12
Aug 22
2 min read

INTRODUCTION

(taken from project Numbat and Wikipedia)

The Numbat is a small, shy, and solitary marsupial only found in Australia, and estimated to be around 1000-2000 individuals alive on our planet today. Their sticky tongues and sharp eyesight allow them to find and eat thousands of termites a day. The Numbat is a very camouflaged species, and they use their stripes to blend into their eucalyptus environment. Furthermore, they are burrowing animals, which makes it hard for researchers and conservationists to keep a close eye on their species.

The Numbat. Photo Source: https://www.britannica.com/animal/numbat

The stripes of the Numbat. Photo Source: https://www.mediastorehouse.com/ardea-wildlife-pets-environment/numbat-leaf-litter-3740176.html

DID YOU KNOW?

(taken from wikiwand,Wikipedia, and project Numbat)

The Numbat’s tongue can reach up to 4-5 inches at most!
The Numbat does not need to drink water because of the water in the termites they eat!
The Numbat was first discovered by Europeans in 1831 by Robert Dale!
The Numbat eats approximately 20,000 termites a day!

Numbat's tongue. Photo Source: https://www.numbat.org.au/faq

REAL WORLD BENEFITS

(taken from Animal Diversity Web)

So, what do numbats do for our planet? Well, let me explain! Because of the great number of termites consumed by a single numbat every day, overpopulation of termites will never be a worry! This can also lead to a massive decrease in wood and forest damage! But that’s not all! The numbat is a keystone species for Australia-meaning their existence impacts the entire ecosystem greatly. Without numbats, many other unique species could go extinct! The vast Australian environment could also experience a change for the worse.

Numbat consumes termites to control population. Photo Credit: https://pomteam.com/blog/step-by-step-guide-to-spotting-a-termite-infestation-in-your-modesto-home/

ENDANGERMENT/WAYS TO HELP

(taken from numbat Discovery-zooniverse)

Sadly, the Numbat is a highly endangered species due to deforestation, predation of feral species, and predation of invasive species introduced by humans. Since 1970, the numbat population in Australia has declined by a shocking 99%. Due to the numbat being a rare and infrequently mentioned species to the public, not many know about it. This is why many help spread awareness, join conservation groups, observe numbats, and more!

Map of Australia. Photo Source: https://www.mappr.co/counties/australia/

CONCLUSION

(taken from project Numbat, Wikipedia, wikiwand, Animal Diversity Web, and Numbat Discovery-zooniverse)

The elusive Numbat may be endangered, but its presence in the ecosystem, its effect on the world, and its innocent personality can change an entire continent. So, what are you waiting for? Spread the word!

#endangeredspecies #numbat