The numbat (Myrmecobius fasciatus), often called the banded anteater, is a unique, diurnal marsupial native to Australia. Its existence is defined by a highly specialized diet, which dictates its behavior, physical form, and ecological fate. This reliance on a single food source demonstrates evolutionary specialization.
The Numbat’s Exclusive Diet
The numbat is an obligate insectivore whose diet consists almost entirely of termites. This strict focus on a single type of prey makes the numbat one of the most specialized mammals in the world. It depends on termites for nearly all of its nutritional needs.
The numbat typically consumes termites that build shallow galleries or are active near the surface, such as members of the genera Coptotermes and Amitermes. Termites provide the high fat and protein content necessary to sustain the numbat’s active, daytime lifestyle. The numbat consumes a staggering volume of this prey, estimated to be between 15,000 and 20,000 termites daily, which is necessary to meet its high metabolic demands. Other insects, including conventional ants, are almost never consumed intentionally and are found in the diet only incidentally.
Specialized Foraging Behavior
The numbat’s foraging behavior is unique among marsupials because it is strictly diurnal, meaning it is active only during the day. This daytime activity is a direct result of its diet, aligning with the hours when surface-dwelling termites are most active and accessible in their shallow tunnels. The numbat relies heavily on its well-developed sense of smell to locate termite galleries just beneath the soil or in fallen wood.
Once a gallery is located, the numbat uses its forelimbs and strong claws for shallow digging to expose the prey. Since it cannot break into the hard, fortified mounds of many termite species, it targets the less protected foraging tunnels. The numbat’s most remarkable tool is its long, slender tongue, which can extend up to ten centimeters past its snout. This sticky, saliva-coated tongue flicks rapidly into the exposed galleries to collect termites. The numbat does not need to chew its food; it possesses reduced, non-functional teeth, allowing it to simply swallow the collected insects whole.
The Dietary Link to Survival
The numbat’s absolute reliance on specific, abundant termite species fundamentally dictates its ecology and geographic range. It can only survive in areas, such as eucalypt woodlands, that maintain a consistent, high density of its preferred food source. This specialized requirement means that any habitat change reducing the termite population immediately threatens the numbat’s survival.
The numbat gains significant water directly from the moisture content of the termites it consumes, allowing it to thrive in arid environments without needing freestanding water. However, this dietary specialization makes the species highly vulnerable to external pressures. Habitat loss, such as the clearing of woodlands, directly impacts the availability of termites. Furthermore, the introduction of non-native predators like feral cats and foxes has accelerated population decline, contributing to the numbat’s status as an endangered species.