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The Eastern Barred Bandicoot (Perameles gunni), lives in grassy woodlands of south Victoria and Tasmania in Australia. It is 25–40 cm long with a short tail. It is not aggressive and lives alone. Males occupy large territories and only consort with females for mating. This species is nocturnal. It emerges from its nest at dusk to forage for earthworms and other invertebrates. It uses its long nose to probe deep into the soil and then digs eagerly when it locates food. The female has 8 nipples, but produces on average 2 to 3 young after a 12 day gestation — this is one of the shortest gestation periods of any mammal. The young are weaned at 55 days.
Due to predation by introduced foxes and cats, along with land-clearing for farming practises, the Victorian subspecies (P. g. nova) is critically endangered, and is now only found at three reintroduction sites (Hamilton Community Parklands, Mooramong and Mount Rothwell), it is thought that a small wild population may still exist along the Grange Burn (a creek) that runs through Hamilton.[3] Captive breeding has been undertaken, with reintroduction to selected fenced areas at Woodlands Historic Park (population now presumed extinct) Hamilton Community Parklands and Mount Rothwell. The Tasmanian subspecies (P. g. gunni) is vulnerable to extinction.[4]
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