Threats: Habitat loss and predation by cats and foxes
Will they visit?: The Bilby is locally extinct within the Perth region
Natural Distribution: Once common throughout the South West, now confined to the most arid areas of WA
Macrotis lagotis – Bernard Dupont (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Macrotis lagotis – Bernard Dupont (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Habitat at a Glance
See Habitat Guide for more detail
Shelter: Fallen hollows and burrows
Diet: Insects, seeds, fungi
Water: They gain most of their water from their diet
ReWild Benefit: Ecosystem engineer, improve ecological health
Habitat Guide - Shelter
Natural Shelter
Bilbies were once common throughout the south-west. They have been reintroduced to Dryandra Woodlands Reserve. They are fairly adaptable to sandy habitats including deserts, woodlands, and heathlands.
Novel Shelter
Not required as they are locally extinct from the Perth region
Habitat Guide - Food and Water
Providing natural sources of food
Bilbies have a varied diet and will eat insects and their larvae, seeds, fungi, bulbs and fruit.
Providing sources of water
Bilbies gain most of their water from their diet.
ReWild Benefits
Bilbies are an ecosystem engineer and are critical to the health of our heathlands, desserts, and bushlands. They keep our biodiversity turning as they often disperse seeds, spread beneficial fungi, maintain soil health, and decrease fire risk across the landscape. There is an extensive conservation effort to protect the species and several groups are undertaking breeding programs to release new animals back into the wild every year. If you see a wild Bilby, you can record your sighting on Atlas of Living Australia!
