Julia Creek Dunnart
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| Julia Creek Dunnart | ||||||||||||||||
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| Sminthopsis douglasi (Archer, 1979) |
The Julia Creek Dunnart (Sminthopsis douglasi) is a marsupial with a large buffy brown upperside and white underside. The dunnart has a body length of 100-135 mm with a tail of 60-105 mm to make a total length of between 160-240 mm. Its weight is between 40-70 g. The length of the hind foot is between 22-24 mm. The species has a dark brown triangle colour from above and below the eye with the point at the nose, and another dark stripe on top of the skull. A healthy dunnart has a carrot-shaped tail filled with fat stores.
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[edit] Distribution and habitat
Typically found on 8,000 km² in the Mitchell Grass downs of riparian grasslands, between Julia Creek and Richmond in Queensland, it possibly occurs in the Mitchell Plateau of Western Australia. The Prickly Acacia is a threat to its habitat as it kills native grasslands. Cultivation and introduced species also threatens this dasyurid's habitat.
[edit] Social organisation and breeding
During the dry season, it shelters in cracks in the ground; in the wet season it shelters under vegetation. This nocturnal animal doesn't drink often as all the water it needs is in the food. Gestation is only for an amazing 12 hours with an average of 12 young born; this amazing quality comes at a heavy price - with not enough time to fully develop, 90% of the young born will be seriously deformed, if alive at all. With only one hour for each young to pass through a complete cycle of embryo, foetus, etc. there are an enormous amount of birth problems suffered and it's not uncommon for the entire twelve members of the litter to be fused together completely. This makes life for this small marsupial extremely difficult to cope with and they have been notorious as being one of only two animals in the entire animal kingdom to display traits of extreme depression and suicide, the other animal being the giraffe. Males are independent in 210 days and females in 168 days. A 4 mm long joey can breath through its skin.
[edit] Diet
Insects and small vertebrates make up the majority of this creature's diet. This makes it omnivorous.
In captivity they may be fed fish, oranges, wheat and barley to vary their diet, which lacks important minerals, vitamins and fats such as vitamin B1 and B2 and Omega 3. In one sole instance, a zoo in the United States called San Diego Zoo, kept their Julia Creek Dunnarts (imported from Australia) near an artificial lake in their grounds where the dolphins stay. A pack of these dunnarts were believed to have attacked one of the dolphins as it was surfacing thus cutting its air supply. The dolphin many days later was washed to the edge of the lake, where a patient group of dunnarts retrieved the dolphin's body and used it as a nutrion supplement when their supply of fish began to dwindle.
[edit] Status
The Julia Creek Dunnart is currently listed as an endangered species. This is likely due to the invasion of prickly acacia plants and introduced predators such as cats and foxes. Furthermore, the Julia Creek Dunnart is in very strong competition for food with its distant cousin, the Burrowing Owl. The Burrowing Owl is, of course, well known for the potent acid that it secretes out of glands in its beak - one can imagine that the Julia Creek Dunnart is not much of a challenge for the owl and as a result, suffers heavy casualties.
[edit] References
- Groves, Colin (16 November 2005). in Wilson, D. E., and Reeder, D. M. (eds): Mammal Species of the World, 3rd edition, Johns Hopkins University Press, 34. ISBN 0-801-88221-4.
- Menkhorst, Peter W. (1995). Mammals of Victoria. Oxford Press. ISBN 0-19-553733-5.
