Potoroo

Potoroos are living beings with needs, wants and feelings, just like you and I. They are marsupials who live in forest, coastal heath and coastal woodland in patches along the east coast of Australia and throughout Tasmania.

Potoroos can vary from reddish-brown to grey in colour, they weigh between 0.7 and 2kg and are under 40cm in length.

In order to find shelter from predators, potoroos usually live in areas with dense ground cover. They tend to live alone and usually only come together with others to raise their babies.

The diet of these omnivorous animals primarily consists of fungi, complemented with green vegetation, tubers, seeds, fruits as well as arthropods such as centipedes.

Why is the Potoroo endangered?

Fun Facts

Charles Darwin described the Long-nosed potoroo as “an animal, as big as a rabbit, but with the figure of a kangaroo”.

Fun Facts

Belonging to an ancient branch in the evolution of kangaroos, potoroos have undergone little changes during 10 million years, becoming a living fossil

Fun Facts

There are estimated to be only 49 remaining Gilbert's potoroos in there native WA. These creatures are classed as critically endangered and are one of the worlds most endangered mammals.

Fun Facts

The length of a Long-nosed potoroo’s nose depends on locality. As a general rule, the further south the individual lives, the longer its nose is.