{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Taxon",
  "slug": "bilby",
  "name": "Greater Bilby",
  "scientificName": "Macrotis lagotis",
  "category": "Mammal",
  "summary": "The greater bilby (Macrotis lagotis) is a long-eared, burrowing bandicoot of arid Australia, nicknamed the \"rabbit-eared bandicoot.\" It digs spiral burrows, eats insects, seeds, and fungi, weighs about 2 kg, and is Vulnerable after foxes, cats, and livestock transformed the deserts.",
  "conservationStatus": "Vulnerable",
  "taxonomy": {
    "kingdom": "Animalia",
    "phylum": "Chordata",
    "class": "Mammalia",
    "order": "Peramelemorphia",
    "family": "Thylacomyidae",
    "genus": "Macrotis"
  },
  "stats": {
    "weightKg": 2,
    "lengthM": 0.55,
    "topSpeedKmh": 25,
    "lifespanYears": 7
  },
  "facts": [
    {
      "label": "Scientific name",
      "value": "Macrotis lagotis"
    },
    {
      "label": "Diet",
      "value": "Omnivore (insects, seeds, fungi)"
    },
    {
      "label": "Habitat",
      "value": "Desert grasslands and spinifex plains"
    },
    {
      "label": "Lifespan",
      "value": "Around 7 years in the wild (varies by population and captivity)."
    },
    {
      "label": "Weight",
      "value": "About 2 kg typical adult mass (sex and region vary)."
    },
    {
      "label": "Top speed",
      "value": "Up to roughly 25 km/h when moving at speed."
    },
    {
      "label": "Conservation status",
      "value": "Vulnerable (IUCN)"
    }
  ],
  "range": {
    "nativeRange": "Arid Australia; strongholds in Western Australia, Northern Territory, and Queensland.",
    "continents": [
      "Oceania"
    ]
  },
  "sources": [],
  "lastReviewed": "2026-07-16",
  "canonicalUrl": "https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/bilby/",
  "license": {
    "name": "CC BY-NC 4.0",
    "url": "https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/",
    "attribution": "Global Animal Guide — https://globalanimalguide.org/animals/bilby/",
    "note": "Free to reuse for non-commercial purposes with attribution and a link back to the canonical page."
  }
}