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Brush-tailed Bettong
Regenstein Small Mammal-Reptile House
Did You Know?
- Brush-tailed bettongs are marsupials with prehensile tails, which they use to collect nesting materials.
- Most of their food is found underground, so they use their sense of smell to locate it and then their front claws to dig it up. They are adapted to eating fungi; their stomachs have increased amounts of bacteria to break it up and release its nutrients.
- An unexplained population decline took place in the bettong population starting in 2001, but conservation initiatives are now working to manage their habitat and control the numbers of local foxes that prey on them.
Don’t See the Animals?
Why aren’t animals visible at all times? To promote positive animal welfare, we provide animals with choices. They can choose to spend time in areas that are out of public view.
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Overview
Scientific Name: Bettongia penicillata
Class: Mammals
Diet: Fungus (also bulbs, seeds, insects, and plant resin)
Range: Western Australia
Endangered Status: Critically Endangered
More Information
Brush-tailed bettongs are small bipedal marsupials with long gray or brown fur on the back and sides and a characteristic black crest of fur on the tip of their tail. They are generally 11–18 inches long with tails up to 13 inches, with hind feet that are longer than their front feet. These animals are nocturnal and may dig more than 100 investigatory holes each night.
These marsupials are mostly solitary and communicate through smells. Females give birth to a maximum of three offspring per year. Their gestation is only 21 days, but their young will then stay in the female’s pouch for three months.
