# Long-nosed Bandicoot (*Perameles nasuta*)

> The long-nosed bandicoot (Perameles nasuta) is a rabbit-sized marsupial that digs for worms and fungi in eastern Australian gardens and forests. Adults weigh about 1 kg and are listed Least Concern.

- **Category:** Mammal
- **Conservation status (IUCN):** Least Concern
- **Range:** Eastern Australian forests and gardens.
- **Canonical page:** https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/bandicoot/
- **Last reviewed:** 2026-07-16

## Scientific classification

- **Kingdom:** Animalia
- **Phylum:** Chordata
- **Class:** Mammalia
- **Order:** Peramelemorphia
- **Family:** Peramelidae
- **Genus:** Perameles

## Facts at a glance

| Attribute | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Scientific name | Perameles nasuta |
| Diet | Omnivore |
| Habitat | Forest, woodland, and suburbs |
| Lifespan | 2–4 years |
| Weight | 0.8–1.2 kg |
| Top speed | up to 25 km/h |
| Conservation status | Least Concern (IUCN) |

## Pointed snout, rapid pregnancy

Bandicoots have short gestation of about 12 days — among the shortest of any mammal. A long snout and strong claws excavate soil for food at night.

## Worms, fungi, and insects

Earthworms, insect larvae, fungi, and plant material are dug from leaf litter. Conical diggings in lawns betray their suburban visits.

## Eastern forests to backyards

Coastal forests and gardens from Queensland to Victoria. They tolerate fragmented habitat better than many native mammals.

## Roadkill and foxes

Least Concern but declining locally from fox predation and road mortality. Cat-free suburbs with dense ground cover still support populations.

## Frequently asked questions

### Are bandicoots rodents?

No — they are marsupials with pouches, unrelated to rabbits or rats despite similar size.

### Why do bandicoots dig holes in lawns?

They probe soil for worms and larvae, leaving small conical pits overnight.

### How fast do bandicoots breed?

Gestation lasts only about 12 days; joeys then develop in the pouch.

### What is a baby bandicoot called?

A joey — like other marsupials.

### Do bandicoots live in Sydney suburbs?

Yes — long-nosed bandicoots persist in some Sydney reserves and gardens with cover.

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Source: Global Animal Guide (https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/bandicoot/). Licensed CC BY-NC 4.0 — free for non-commercial reuse with attribution.