Numbat: a two-minute wildlife lesson

Australia · day 7 of 7

Five facts

1. An adult numbat needs up to 20,000 termites a day, and it is the only marsupial fully active by day.
2. Numbats get most of their water from termites, so they can live in dry Australian habitats.
3. Using its front claws, a numbat scrapes termites out of loose soil, then laps them up with its long, sticky tongue.
4. A numbat has up to 50 tiny, nonfunctional teeth. It rarely chews because its food is so soft.
5. Numbats find termite mounds mainly by scent, yet they have the highest visual acuity of any marsupial.

The quiz

1. How many termites can an adult numbat need in a day?

• Up to 200
• Up to 2,000
• Up to 20,000 (correct)
• Up to 2 million

An adult can need as many as 20,000 termites a day.

2. Where do numbats get most of their water?

• From termites (correct)
• From rivers
• From dew on leaves
• From cacti

Termites have a high water content that covers most of their needs.

3. What does a numbat use to capture termites?

• Its tail
• A long, sticky tongue (correct)
• Sharp teeth
• A trap of mud

It captures termites with its long, sticky tongue.

4. Why does a numbat rarely chew?

• It has no teeth
• It swallows stones
• Its jaw is broken
• Its diet is soft (correct)

Its soft diet means it rarely chews.

5. How do numbats mainly find termite mounds?

• By scent (correct)
• By sight
• By sound
• By vibrations

They find mounds mainly by scent, despite their sharp vision.

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