The numbat is the endangered Australian marsupial that serves as the faunal emblem of Western Australia. Its scientific name is Myrmecobius fasciatus, and it is also known as the noombat or walpurti.
Unlike many marsupials, the numbat is active during the day. It feeds almost exclusively on termites, using its long, sticky tongue to collect them from soil and rotting wood. It does not have a conventional pouch; the young cling to the mother’s teats and are protected by surrounding fur.
Numbats once ranged across much of southern Australia, but introduced red foxes, habitat loss, and changes to woodland environments caused a severe decline. By the late 1970s, fewer than 1,000 were thought to remain, concentrated mainly in two Western Australian areas: Dryandra and Perup.
Fox control and captive breeding have supported reintroductions into protected reserves, including sites outside Western Australia. The species remains Endangered, however, and its emblematic status reflects both its uniqueness and the continuing effort to prevent its extinction.