The nocturnal Australian marsupial with long ears and a pointed snout, also called the rabbit-bandicoot, is the greater bilby.
The greater bilby, Macrotis lagotis, is a rabbit-like marsupial in the bandicoot group. Its long ears, narrow muzzle, silky fur, and long black-and-white tail explain names such as rabbit-eared bandicoot and rabbit-bandicoot. Despite its rabbit-like appearance, it is not a rabbit or rodent; it is more closely related to other Australian marsupials.
Greater bilbies are nocturnal omnivores that forage by smell and dig through soil for insects, larvae, seeds, bulbs, fungi, fruit, and small animals. They construct deep, spiraling burrows that provide shelter from daytime heat and predators. A female’s pouch opens backward, helping keep excavated dirt out while she digs.
The species once occupied much of mainland Australia, but introduced foxes and cats, habitat changes, and competition from rabbits greatly reduced its range. The lesser bilby, Macrotis leucura, became extinct in the twentieth century, so “bilby” now generally refers to the surviving greater bilby. Conservation programs use protected reserves and reintroduction efforts to support its recovery.