Being the biggest habitat of marsupials on the Earth, Australia has always been famous for its biodiversity as amazing creatures like the kangaroo and the Tasmanian devil are all endemic to its territory. However, not all of these marsupials can survive, and some have become extinct because of different reasons that have mainly been caused by human activities. The desert bandicoot is one of these species that has become a scar on the biodiversity history of Australia.
A barred bandicoot, a species that is similar in appearance to the extinct desert bandicoot. /VCG
The desert bandicoot was a small to medium-sized species that usually had orange-brown fur on its back, and a pattern of dark bands on its hindquarters. It used to live in the southeast of the Northern Territory of Australia majorly, extending as far north as the Tanami Desert.
The scenery of Northern Territory, Australia, which used to be home to the desert bandicoot. /VCG
However, the desert bandicoot suddenly became extinct, and some of the reasons why still remain unknown today. The last specimen of the desert bandicoot was obtained in 1943, but the extinction of this species in the Northern Territory seemed to happen during the 1960s. Scientists believed that the decline and extinction of the desert bandicoot is not only attributed to an increase in the number of predators like cats and foxes, but also habitat loss.
By now, Australia has lost many species like the Tasmanian wolf and the desert bandicoot, and meanwhile species such as koalas are still in great danger. Last year's bushfires were a catastrophe that killed millions of animals, and thus made the appeals to protect biodiversity more active among animal protectors.
The Lost Species
When the last of a species closes its eyes, the species is deemed to be extinct. The reasons that lead to extinction may vary, but human activity is one that cannot be ignored. This series tells the stories of extinct species and tracks their histories before they were lost to the world.
Read more from the series:
Dodo: Flightless bird that only exists in Alice's Wonderland
Tasmanian wolf: The extinct marsupial that lived as a scapegoat
Passenger pigeon: Magnificent journey ends in dinner plates
Great auk: Flightless 'penguin' hunted to extinction for its feathers
Carolina parakeet: The high cost of empathy
Golden toad: The 'poster child' of amphibian crisis
(Cover image designed by CGTN's Chen Yuyang)
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