A species native only to Australia, the bilby, also sometimes known as a dalgyte, a pinkie or long-eared bandicoot, is a small nocturnal mammal that can be found in the county’s central and north-western regions. Once a thriving species, it has seen its population decline (it’s currently considered vulnerable to extinction) to the point where it now only inhabits arid regions; living in burrows to protect itself from predators (a major reason for its low population).

The bilby has a long muzzle (it has a great sense of smell), long ears (it also has very good hearing), silky fur, a long black and white tail, blue-gray fur with patches of tan, thick claws (it uses them to dig for food and make burrows), strong forelimbs, weighs up to 8.2 pounds (3.7 kilograms), and has a length of up to 22 inches (55 centimeters).

The bilby is known for having multiple burrows (up to 12) and for switching between them all the time. The female is also known for having its pouch at its back, keeping it from getting dirt inside while digging. Another notable characteristic of the bilby is its 12-14 day gestation period, which is the shortest of all mammals. In regards to diet, the bilby eats insects, larvae, seeds, spiders, bulbs, fruit, fungi, and very small animals; due to the moisture in its diet, it doesn’t need to drink any water.