The Numbat Endangerment

Making A Difference

The Numbat, also known as Myrmecobius fasciatus or The Banded anteater. It lives parts of Australia but it is being threatened by predators like foxes and feral cats with an estimated population that is fewer than 1000 individuals. The Numbat lives in the Eucalypt woodlands where dead and fallen trees provide hollow logs for shelter and to sleep in their nests and foraging opportunities. The Numbat is a small mammal, with a pointed head, upright ears, four legs with long claws, and a long bushy tail. It has a grey-brown color with black and white banding on its back and one long black stripes across its eyes. . The Numbat most eats termites they can eat many species but they do not eat ants they also eat up to 20,000 termites a day. The Numbat doesn't drink water because they get enough from all the termites they eat. Since the Numbat eats so many termites they are controlling the termites' population meaning they are benefiting the local ecosystem. The Numbat is exposed to many threats like the population of these endangered animals is increased predication by cats, foxes, and other feral predators. They are also exposed to fire regimes changing constantly. They are mostly threatened by habit destruction like their logs that can give them shelter, food, and a hiding spot from predators. Some ways to help the Numbat stay alive so is to keep an eye out for Numbats when you are traveling through potential Numbat habitat and report any sightings. Make sure you note the date and the location with GPS coordinates (if possible) of the sighting. Note the description of the animals and what it is doing, and if is safe take a photo. Report the details. The sightings will provide vital information to WWF and the WA Department of Biodiversity, Conservation & Attractions (DBCA). Remote sensor cameras will also be put in place next month and a citizen science project set up to review the photos so citizen scientists everywhere can help us to identify where Numbats and other threatened animals occur in the southwest.

Congress passed and act called The Endangered Species Act. They passed this act because it was to protect animals and plants that were in danger of becoming extinct. The purpose of the act is to protect and recover imperiled species and the ecosystems upon which they depend. It is administered by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Commerce Department's National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). Some amendments that the ESA has. In 1988, Congress required the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to monitor all recovered species and all candidate species. The 1988 amendment affected federal recovery plans for listed species. After 1988, the Fish and Wildlife Service and other relevant federal agencies were required to notify the public about all federal recovery plans. After public notice, recovery plans were open to public comments while the relevant federal agencies were required to review and consider those comments when developing their plans.

Due to the ESA it is still keeping the Numbat alive instead of dead already. The federal government should keep tabs or tags on the animal and see what they do in different situations and see where they are located. Civilians can help the Numbat by telling the ESA where they saw the Numbat and tell them what they were doing and if it is safe then to take a picture.

More details

The percent of change is 93% increase of Numbats using numbers from 1970's to present day. FUN FACT: Numbats are very difficult to monitor. So the information was harder than expected. In order to stop being endangered, the numbers need to increase their current numbers by 11,000. Releasing any animal into the wild can Endangered the original animals that live there because the animal can use other animals and food to survive.