Government Guidelines and Legislation
Threatened Species Profile: Long-nosed Potoroo
Source: DECC
Date: May 2008
Scientific name: Potorous tridactylus
Conservation status in NSW: Vulnerable
National conservation status: Vulnerable
Description
Adult Long-nosed Potoroos weigh up to 1.6 kg (740 – 1640 grams) and have a head and body length of about 360 mm and a tail length between 200 – 260 mm. Its fur is greyish-brown above and light grey below. It is distinguished from the slightly larger, but very similar Long-footed Potoroo in a number of subtle ways including its shorter tail (less than 250 mm long) and smaller hind-foot (shorter than its head). Also, unlike the Long-footed Potoroo the Long-nosed Potoroo lacks a leathery pad on the sole of its foot, just behind the inner toe (a hallucal pad).
Location and habitat
Distribution
The Long-nosed Potoroo is found on the south-eastern coast of Australia, from Queensland to eastern Victoria and Tasmania, including some of the Bass Strait islands. There are geographically isolated populations in western Victoria. In NSW it is generally restricted to coastal heaths and forests east of the Great Dividing Range, with an annual rainfall exceeding 760 mm.Habitat and ecology
- Inhabits coastal heaths and dry and wet sclerophyll forests. Dense understorey with occasional open areas is an essential part of habitat, and may consist of grass-trees, sedges, ferns or heath, or of low shrubs of tea-trees or melaleucas. A sandy loam soil is also a common feature.
- The fruit-bodies of hypogeous (underground-fruiting) fungi are a large component of the diet of the Long-nosed Potoroo. They also eat roots, tubers, insects and their larvae and other soft-bodied animals in the soil.
- Often digs small holes in the ground in a similar way to bandicoots.
- Mainly nocturnal, hiding by day in dense vegetation – however, during the winter months animals may forage during daylight hours.
- Individuals are mainly solitary, non-territorial and have home range sizes ranging between 2-5 ha.
- Breeding peaks typically occur in late winter to early summer and a single young is born per litter. Adults are capable of two reproductive bouts per annum.
Regional information
This species is found in the following catchment management authority regions. Click on a region name to see more details about the distribution, vegetation types and habitat preference of the species in that region.
Threats
- Habitat loss and fragmentation from land clearing for residential and agricultural development.
- Predation from foxes, dogs and cats.
- Too frequent fires or grazing by stock that reduce the density and floristic diversity of understorey vegetation.
- Logging regimes or other disturbances that reduce the availability and abundance food resources, particularly hypogeous fungi, and ground cover.
Recovery strategies
Priority actions are the specific, practical things that must be done to recover a threatened species, population or ecological community. The Department of Environment and Conservation has identified 19 priority actions to help recover the Long-nosed Potoroo in New South Wales.
What needs to be done to recover this species?
- Desex domestic cats and dogs.
- Undertake fox, feral dog and cat control programs.
- Apply fire regimes that maintain dense understorey vegetation cover.
- Where fire control is necessary apply mosaic pattern hazard reduction burns to ensure the same areas are not burned continuously.
- Prevent domestic cats and dogs from roaming into areas of habitat.
- Fence areas of habitat to avoid grazing and trampling by domestic stock.
- Protect and maintain habitat, especially dense understorey. Provide linkages across the broader landscape.
