The Brush-tailed Phascogale is listed as a threatened species in NSW. These creatures, like many others, are very vulnerable to loss of habitat.  When we operate in the environment we should remember that we operate a big change in the fragile life of animals.

Habitat and behaviour

With a diet of predominantly insects and other invertebrates as well as nectar and occasionally small vertebrates, the brush-tailed phascogale has long fingers to extract insects from under bark.  They are quick and agile climbers and while mainly arboreal they will forage on the ground as well.  Typically they occur in dry forest or woodland habits, often with a relatively open understory. The Brush-tailed phascogale has a very short life span, males only one year, dying a few weeks after mating from stress related illnesses while females may live up to three years. After two months in the care of a Native Animal Trust Fund Inc Wildlife Rescue Service volunteer, this young phascogale has regained her agility and was released back to her own territory to pass on her genes to the next generation.

Environmental impact

These creatures, like many others, are very vulnerable to loss of habitat from land clearing and competition for tree hollows as well as prone to bushfires and predation by feral cats and foxes.  So when we operate in the environment we should remember that we not only influence the look of the landscape or the chemistry of the water/soil, we also operate a big change in the fragile life of animals. The consequences of those actions may result large, involve a substantial effort to re-establish the order and in some cases be irreversible with a definitive loss of species.

Respect for animals gives us another reason to move more consciously towards a green life in balance with the environment.

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Written by Jill Dean