The bettong carry their young in pouches much like kangaroos, but when faced with a predator they differ.
When in danger, the animal ejects their joey from protection and flees in the opposite direction.
A surprisingly brutal instinct, yes, but also a tactic for survival honed over generations.
Also known as thewoylieoryalgiri, theBettongia penicillateis a member of the bipedal marsupial rat-kangaroo family.
In the past, bettongs existed throughout 60% of the Australian continent.
However, colonization’s introduction of new predators and destruction of wildlife habitats threatened the population.
The Narungga have a word for the bettong as well, which isyalgiri.
These conditions and efforts have proven successful, with recent monitoring showing a steady increase in population and reproduction.
Woylies are sometimes referred to as natures engineers because of their eating habits.
To learn more about the wildlife conservation project, visit theMarna Banggara website.
Watch the video below to see an important role the Narungga played in these revival efforts.
