Australia is home to an array of distinctive marsupials. Beyond the iconic kangaroos and koalas, a diverse range of unique creatures inhabits the continent’s varied landscapes. Among these is the potoroo, a small marsupial that plays a surprising role in its native ecosystem.
Defining the Potoroo
Potoroo is a common name for several species of small, nocturnal marsupials in the family Potoroidae, often called “rat-kangaroos” due to their appearance. They are allied with the Macropodiformes, the group that includes kangaroos and wallabies, though potoroos are significantly smaller. Their compact bodies are rabbit-sized, with adults weighing between 660 grams and 1.6 kilograms.
These marsupials have fur ranging from reddish-brown to grey-brown or dark grey on their upper bodies, transitioning to paler grey or white underneath. A distinctive feature is their long, tapering snout, which has a naked patch of skin extending onto it. Potoroos possess small ears, strong foreclaws adapted for digging, and powerful hind feet that enable them to hop, much like their larger macropod relatives. Their semi-prehensile tails can be used to carry nesting materials.
Potoroo species are found in fragmented populations across eastern Australia, from southern Queensland through New South Wales and Victoria, and throughout Tasmania. They inhabit a variety of environments, including coastal heaths, wet and dry sclerophyll forests, and woodlands. These animals require areas with thick groundcover, which provides both shelter and nesting material.
The genus Potorous includes several species, such as the Long-nosed Potoroo (Potorous tridactylus), the Long-footed Potoroo (Potorous longipes), and Gilbert’s Potoroo (Potorous gilbertii). The Broad-faced Potoroo (Potorous platyops) is now considered extinct.
Potoroo Life and Conservation
Potoroo diets primarily feature native truffle-like hypogeal (underground-fruiting) fungi. For some species, like Gilbert’s Potoroo, these fungi can constitute over 90% of their food intake. Potoroos locate these underground treats using their highly developed sense of smell and unearth them with their long, curved claws. Their foraging activity helps disperse fungal spores, which are important for the health of many Australian plants, especially Eucalyptus trees, through mycorrhizal associations.
While fungi are a primary food source, especially in cooler months, their diet can also include roots, tubers, seeds, fruits, and invertebrates. Potoroos are nocturnal and are solitary creatures, though some species may form loose feeding groups. They do not exhibit territorial behavior, with males’ home ranges overlapping those of multiple females.
The conservation status of potoroos varies across species, with many facing threats. Gilbert’s Potoroo is critically endangered, with only an estimated 100-120 individuals remaining, having once been thought extinct before its rediscovery in 1994. The Long-footed Potoroo is endangered, and certain subspecies of the Long-nosed Potoroo are listed as vulnerable.
Threats to potoroo populations include habitat loss and fragmentation from land clearing, logging, and altered fire regimes, which diminish their food sources and shelter. Predation by introduced species, such as European red foxes and feral cats, also poses a danger to these small marsupials. Conservation efforts focus on habitat protection, predator control, and establishing safe haven populations.