SPECIES: Potorous longipes — Long-footed Potoroo
CLASSIFICATION: Endangered
The Long-footed Potoroo is a shy and elusive creature. Is it because of this, or just by chance then, that the species remained undetected, remarkably, until the 1960's. As well as having long feet - as its name suggests, the Long-footed Potoroo also has a longer tail and shorter nose than its close relative, the Long-nosed Potoroo. Just to clear up any confusion. Their diet consists of up to 90% fungi, including truffles.
Ground-dwelling and mostly nocturnal by nature, potoroos as a species are an integral part of the ecosystem within which they live, spreading spores through the soil as they forage, which in turn, helps to keep the trees and forests healthy. Their biggest threat is that of feral predators - dingoes, wild dogs, foxes and feral cats, also fire and feral pigs which they compete with for their quite particular truffle diet.
Photo: Environment & Heritage NSW