Southern brown bandicoot
(Isoodon obesulus)
The southern brown bandicoot is an endangered, ground-dwelling marsupial native to southeastern Australia. These nocturnal diggers contribute greatly to soil health, plant regeneration, and insect control. Once common, they are now threatened by habitat destruction, introduced predators, and environmental pressures. Odonata supports a growing population of around 1,000 individuals at its Mt Rothwell sanctuary.
Physical description
Southern Brown Bandicoots have compact bodies, pointed snouts, short rounded ears, and strong forelimbs built for digging. Males weigh around 1.5 kg and grow up to 50 cm long, while females are slightly smaller. Their fur is coarse and brown with a pale underside, and they have a short tail and a rear-facing pouch equipped with up to eight teats.
Habitat and distribution
This species historically inhabited woodlands, heathlands, and grasslands across Victoria, South Australia, New South Wales, and Tasmania. Today, populations are fragmented and limited to areas with dense vegetation and access to shelter such as waterway margins. Key threats include habitat loss due to agriculture and development, predation by foxes and feral cats, inappropriate fire regimes, and competition with invasive species.
Behaviour and diet
Southern brown bandicoots are solitary and nocturnal. They forage by digging in soil for insects, worms, fungi, seeds, and tubers—helping control pests and disperse plant material. With one of the shortest gestation periods of any mammal (about 12 days), they can give birth to multiple litters each year, typically with 2–4 young. Offspring mature quickly, with sexual maturity reached within months. Bandicoot populations respond strongly to environmental conditions, expanding during wet years and contracting in droughts.
Breeding
Breeding occurs throughout the year, with females capable of producing several litters annually. After a short gestation, young remain in the pouch for a few weeks before weaning. Rapid reproduction helps sustain populations in the right conditions but also makes them vulnerable to environmental change.
Conservation status
LC
NT
VU
EN
CR
EW
EX
Least Concern
Near Threatened
Vulnerable
Endangered (1999 EPBC Act)
Critically Endangered
Extinct in the Wild
Presumed extinct
Threats
Habitat destruction and fragmentation from urbanisation and agriculture.
Predation by foxes and feral cats.
Altered fire regimes.
Competition with rabbits and other invasive herbivores.
Climate variability affecting food and shelter availability.
Success in the field
In 2002, 34 Southern Brown Bandicoots were translocated to Odonata’s Mt Rothwell Sanctaury from Warrawong Wildlife Sanctuary. Their numbers have since grown to an estimated 1,000, influenced by rainfall patterns. This sanctuary remains Odonata’s only active site for the species. Plans are underway to expand conservation efforts to new sites.
Odonata also collaborates with Cesar and the University of Melbourne to conduct genetic research and improve recovery strategies, aiming to build robust, self-sustaining populations of this vital species across Victoria.