The Fauna of Scott Creek

Conservation Park

Marsupials: There are six native marsupials found in the park.  These are the Southern Brown Bandicoot (Isoodon Obesulus); the Western Grey Kangaroo (Macropus fuliginosus); the Koala (Phascolarctus cinereus) -though not indigenous to the area; the Yellow-footed Antechinus (Antechinus flavipes); the Common Ringtail Possum  (Pseudocheirus perigrinus) and the Common Brush-tailed Possum (Trichosurus vulpecula). Bandicoots and Antechinus are often seen out and about during the winter months, particularly on sunny afternoons (as are large groups of the Western Grey Kangaroos, though this is less remarkable).

The Field Naturalists Society of South Australia, together with friends members check the health of a Southern Brown Bandicoot.

The Southern Brown Bandicoot

This animal could be considered the "jewel" of Scott Creek Conversation Park, as the park is a stronghold in the Mount Lofty ranges for this interesting marsupial.

Like most marsupials, the bandicoot is nocturnal, but that doesn't mean that you won't see one out in the open in the daytime, as some visitors have mentioned in our guest book.

Their breeding season begins in winter and lasts for several months. The female has eight nipples in a rear opening pouch and can have from one to six young at a time. If conditions are favorable, new litters follow immediately after the previous one has been weaned, resulting in three litters or more in a year. The bandicoots at Warrawong Sanctuary originally came from SCCP and it was extraordinary to see how quickly their numbers rose after their release there.

Isoodon obesulus obesulus (the Southern Brown Bandicoot)

While they can require large territories of several hectares, in the ideal habitat around the creek lines of the park, they have been known to live in quite dense numbers less than a hundred metres apart.

Its new endangered status
The following is taken from a recent advice to the Minister for the Environment and Heritage prepared by the Threatened Species Scientific Committee (TSSC), requesting the status of Isoodon obesulus obesulus (the Southern Brown Bandicoot) to be increased that of an endangered species:

"...the abundance of this subspecies has suffered a severe reduction in numbers since European settlement. In the mid-1800s this subspecies was reported as being extremely common being reported as one of the ‘very commonest’ Australian mammals.

By the 1920s the Southern Brown Bandicoot was considered to be rare. Although current numbers are difficult to estimate, compared to historical indications that this subspecies was very common (...they may have numbered in the millions), today its abundance appears to be a fraction of what it was. This indicates that this subspecies has undergone a severe reduction in numbers. Further, the subspecies appears to be continuing to decline – a number of local extinctions are known to have occurred during the last decade. This is particularly evident in NSW. In addition, recent surveys provide evidence that that the subspecies has declined in distribution and abundance in south-west Victoria.

Evidence has been provided that the threats to this subspecies are continuing to operate over much of its range. These are changed fire regimes (especially frequent fuel reduction burning), predation by the Red Fox and feral Cat (both listed as Key Threatening Processes), and habitat clearing and fragmentation. The TSSC considers that unless specific actions are undertaken to ameliorate these threats where the subspecies occurs, it will continue to be threatened.

Evidence provided ...indicate(s) that the most severe contractions in its distribution have been in SA and NSW. In SA, it has disappeared from a number of localities/regions and remnant populations are highly fragmented. This makes these populations vulnerable to catastrophic disturbance, particularly fire, with little potential for natural recolonisation. In NSW, the subspecies is rare or extinct in most parts of its former range (it has declined over 50% or more of its previous range) and is continuing to decline.

The threats to this subspecies are continuing to operate, which casts some doubt as to its persistence in the long-term without appropriate targeted management action and conservation strategies."

This advice to the minister was accepted and it is now considered endangered.

So it's pleasing to see it in good numbers in Scott Creek. More pictures.

For more Bandicoot information, please visit the Department of Environment & Heritage Threatened Species Site or download this PDF brochure entitled "Bandicoots in my Garden" (This document is 217k and will take a while to download.)

Rodents :

Two native rodents residing in the park, the Southern Bush Rat (Rattus fuscipes greyii) and the Golden Water Rat (Hydromys chrysogaster). It is thought that the Swamp Rat, Rattus lutreolus, may occur near the park.

Monotremata : There is one monotreme found in the park : the Short -beaked Echidna (Tachyglossus aculeatus ). Because it's such a noisy mover as it goes through the bush, it's easier to see than you might expect. You'll find of evidence of its activities all around the park.

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