The Dunnart

by Parks Ambassador David de Vos

The sandhill dunnart (Sminthopsis psammophila) is the second largest of the 19 species of Sminthopsis. It is listed as Endangered under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cwlth) (EPBC Act). Image credit: Parks and Wildlife Service, Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions/Joanna Riley

Fat-tailed, slender-tailed, hairy footed, lesser hairy footed, that’s just four in a long list of names for various dunnarts. The dunnart name itself comes from a Noongar word, donat, that sounds awfully like doughnut. Unfortunately.

There are more than 19 species of dunnart. They are found all over Australia, from Cape York to Tasmania, from the east coast to the south-west. And in New Guinea.

Wikipedia has a painting of two dunnarts (white footed} on a branch in the bush, the very definition of cuteness. They are small, nocturnal mammals often mistaken for the brown house mouse. But dunnarts eat insects. Mice prefer cheese.

White-footed dunnart (Sminthopsis leucopus). Image credit: Wikipedia

During times of plenty dunnarts store excess fat in their tails, which can take on a swollen, ‘carrot-shaped’ appearance. When food is scarce, they draw on this fat to survive. They can also enter a state of torpor, saving energy by lowering their body temperature and metabolic rate – a kind of hibernation.

Finally, a sad fact. A male dunnart’s Y chromosome is the smallest known mammalian Y chromosome in the world. I share that rather intrusive information with some sadness for the dunnart boys.