Julia Creek Dunnart

(SMINTHOPSIS DOUGLASI)

This tiny bright-eyed creature is an insect-eating marsupial, only found in the Mitchell grass downs of North West Queensland.

With a body length of 100–120mm and a tail length of 90–100mm, the Julia Creek dunnart can be distinguished from rats and mice by its size. Unlike rodents, dunnarts have pointy noses, large rounded ears and dog-like teeth. RECOGNISED AS A SPECIES The dunnart was first documented in 1931 but not recognised as a species until 1979 after examination of four museum specimens revealed them to be a distinct species. A live animal was not seen until 1992 when, with the aid of information provided by locals, seven animals were trapped and another was brought in from a property after being saved from a domestic cat. The species is currently listed as near endangered under the IUCN Red List of Threatened Fauna (2008) because of its restricted distribution and the lack of knowledge of its ecology and threatening processes. The downs country of North West Queensland is typically flat or gently undulating grassland dominated by Mitchell grass (Astrebla spp.) tussocks, with grasses such as Flinders grass (Iseilema sp.) and forbs growing between the tussocks after rain. An aspect of the Julia Creek dunnart’s habitat that may be essential to its survival in this harsh environment is black soil, where cracks up to 70cms deep develop as the dry season progresses. Julia Creek dunnarts shelter in these cracks to escape the extreme daytime temperatures then emerge at night to hunt insects and small reptiles. Breeding occurs between October and February, during which time females may produce two litters of young if environmental conditions are favourable. Like other marsupials, they have a pouch and give birth to young at a very early stage of pregnancy, at which time the young are permanently attached to the nipple. The pouch contains eight nipples in a circular arrangement allowing each female to carry eight young at a time. Reproduction is timed to coincide with the wet season so that the young are weaned when there is an abundance of insects to feed on and ample vegetation to provide shelter from predators. LIVE DUNNART DISPLAY The Julia Creek Visitor Information Centre currently displays fat-tailed dunnarts (Sminthopsis crassicaudata). Fat-tailed dunnarts, as their name suggests, are distinguished by their carrot-shaped tail where they store excess fat for times of food shortage. The feisty fat-tailed dunnarts are rotated between two off-display enclosures and one display enclosure.