나비반디쿠트가 남긴 세상에서 가장 슬픈 숫자 ‘0’

Perameles papillon, commonly known as the Butterfly Bandicoot, is a unique and endangered mammal native to Australia. It lived in isolation on the island continent for millions of years, with a diverse and rich fauna. Prior to European colonization in 1788, Australia was home to around 340 mammal species, with over 90% of them being endemic rodents and marsupials.

Since European settlement, 40 native mammal species and 6 introduced species have gone extinct, accounting for 35% of all mammal extinctions worldwide. Australia has the highest rate of land mammal extinctions in the world.

British naturalist Frederick Wood Jones, who authored "The Mammals of South Australia" in 1924, lamented the loss of Australia's unique wildlife, stating that while most countries retain a harmless species coexisting with humans, Australia had "unusually many" of such species, but they were all on the brink of extinction. Today, around 40% of Australia's mammals face significant population declines, with 18 species of bandicoots and bilbies listed as critically endangered.

The Nullarbor Plain, a vast desert region along the southern coast, has the highest rates of species decline.

The Nullarbor Barred Bandicoot, named for its band-like markings resembling butterflies, is a unique sub-species of the bandicoot family. Females are larger than males, and like other marsupials, the young are born underdeveloped and continue to develop within their mother's pouch. They are nocturnal and solitary, primarily feeding on insects. The last confirmed sighting of the Butterfly Bandicoot was in 1928, and it is believed to have gone extinct around 1930.

The primary causes of the Butterfly Bandicoot's extinction are believed to be introduced predators like cats and foxes, along with habitat destruction due to farming and European livestock grazing. Found in museum archives, two recently discovered photographs from 1923 depict the Butterfly Bandicoot, captured by Jones before its extinction.

Jones, who worked at the Government Zoo in Adelaide from 1920-1926, attempted to breed the species in captivity, but the last individual died without reproducing. The Butterfly Bandicoot's extinction marks the loss of a unique and rare species, leaving behind a "0" in the annals of extinction, a somber reminder of the ongoing global crisis.