Our new research shows humans have maligned bandicoots for decades, making them more vulnerable to extinction
Humans have had a complex relationship with this marsupial, known for its pointy snout, thin tail and large hind feet.
Bandicoots, small rabbit-sized marsupials native to Australia and New Guinea, have faced a troubled relationship with humans for centuries. Despite their seemingly harmless appearance, these animals have been maligned due to their digging habits, which farmers and landholders found destructive to their crops. The misnaming of bandicoots as "pig-rats" (Bandicota sp.) originated from their pointy snouts, thin tails, and large hind feet.
European colonisation led to a decline in bandicoot populations, with eight of the 15 existing species becoming threatened or extinct. The pressures faced by bandicoots include invasive predators like cats and foxes, as well as habitat destruction. However, human activities have also played a significant role in their decline.
Our latest research examines the interactions between humans and bandicoots through newspaper reports from New South Wales between 1804 and 1954. Three main reasons for their troubled history emerged:
1. Bandicoots were initially hunted for sport, food, and fur. They were described as delicious dishes and even provided sustenance for escaped convicts. European artists featured bandicoots in comical ways, further solidifying their fascination.
2. Bandicoots became a pest due to their digging habits, which led farmers and landholders to use various strategies to control their populations. From the 1830s, bandicoots were blamed for damaging maize and potato crops, prompting lethal control measures such as poisons, traps, and guns. Farmers could even receive cash in exchange for scalp samples of caught bandicoots.
3. The relationship between humans and bandicoots shifted towards disease transmission in the 1920s. Veterinary researcher Ian Clunies Ross concluded that long-nosed bandicoots were the primary hosts of paralysis ticks, which were becoming a significant concern for suburban residents. Once this claim was widely reported in Sydney newspapers, bandicoots became the prime suspect in the spread of Q fever, a deadly disease primarily spread by farm animals.
Written by urgent.news from The Conversation AU's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
