At a glance
- IUCN category
- EN · Endangered
- Animal group
- Mammals
- Population trend
- Decreasing
- Last verified
Conservation overview
The numbat is a small, striped marsupial that feeds almost entirely on termites. It is assessed as Endangered.
Unusually for a marsupial, it is active by day, tracking termites as they move near the surface.
Range & habitat
Remnant woodlands of south-western Australia.
Major threats
Threats below are drawn from the authoritative sources listed on this page. For the current, complete assessment, see the IUCN Red List.
- Introduced foxes and cats
- Habitat loss and fragmentation
- A small population
Why it matters
A termite specialist and emblem of Western Australia, the numbat is a flagship for controlling introduced predators and restoring Australian woodlands.
Sources
Sources for Numbat
- IUCN Red List — look up Numbat (authoritative status)
- Animal Diversity Web
Frequently Asked Questions
What does the numbat eat?
Almost exclusively termites — it can eat many thousands a day, licking them up with a long tongue, and does not need to dig deep because it follows termites near the surface.
Why is the numbat Endangered?
Published assessments cite predation by introduced foxes and cats, habitat loss and fragmentation, and a small population. See the IUCN Red List.
Last updated: