Slender-tailed Dunnart (Sminthopsis murina) lives in arid desert scrub across Western Australia. It feeds on insects and small vertebrates. Its conservation status is Least Concern.
Fascinating facts about the Slender-tailed Dunnart
- From the rain-soaked rainforests of Cape York Peninsula down to the dry woodlands near Port Lincoln, the dunnart spans a huge east-south-east swath of Australia. It lives between 60 and 360 metres (196.9-1181.1 ft) above sea level and thrives where yearly rain falls between 30 and 85 centimetres (11.8-33.5 in). This tolerance for both altitude and modest rainfall lets it occupy everything from sparse Mallee scrub to dense leaf-laden forest edges, making it a versatile survivor across shifting climates.
- Breeding kicks off in New South Wales as early as September and can run through March, giving the dunnart a long window to raise its young. After a brief 12.5-day gestation, joeys cling to the mother for 60-65 days before weaning, and litters often swell to 8-10 offspring. Females may survive to breed a second year, but males typically die after mating.
- When food is scarce or temperatures plunge, the dunnart can slip into torpor, but scientists have only recorded this in the most extreme parts of its range. Outside those harsh spots the animal stays active through the night, hunting under the cover of darkness.
- A slender-tailed dunnart its body stretches from 7 to 12 centimetres (2.8-4.7 in) and its tail adds another 5.5 to 13 centimetres (2.2-5.1 in). Males tip the scales at 25-40.8 grams while females are lighter, ranging from 16.5-25.4 grams.
- A true opportunist, the dunnart shows a clear taste for beetles and moths, snatching them more often than any other prey that happen to be around.
Sources
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At a glance
RangeWestern Australia
HabitatArid desert scrub
DietInsects and small vertebrates
About the Slender-tailed Dunnart
In the arid expanse of the Australian outback, the slender-tailed dunnart weaves a subtle path, its delicate form darting with frenetic energy across the spinifex grass. With eyes aglow like lanterns in the dark, this nocturnal hunter navigates the shadows, its oversized ears twitching to the whispers of the night, as it pursues the tiny insects that sustain it. As it moves, the dunnart's slender tail streams behind, a silken banner that betrays its swift and agile presence, a testament to the remarkable adaptability of this small, yet resilient, marsupial.
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