Woylie

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Quick facts

Lifespan6 – 8 years in the wild and up to 18 years under human care

DietFungi, tubers and seeds

HabitatShrublands, forests and woodlands

RangeAustralia

The woylies

Brush-tailed nest builder

Woylies are also known as brush-tailed rat-kangaroos, for the distinctive black brush at the end of their long tail. Curling their flexible tail to carry grass and other vegetation, woylies build dome-shaped nests out of grass and other vegetation.

Though woylies are usually solitary, mothers with young in tow may share nests.

Ecosystem engineer

A woylie can move six tons of soil per year in nocturnal diggings in search of its favourite food: truffles. By ‘tilling’ the soil, it helps to spread fungal spores, facilitating new growth in its habitat.

Woylies store seed in their cheek pouches, burying them for later consumption. This scatter-hoarding behaviour helps with seed dispersal, resulting in flora regeneration.

Together, we protect wildlife

Dwindling in the wild

The main threat to the woylie in the wild is predation by introduced species like foxes as well as feral cats, further exacerbated by bushfires. Numbers have dipped by more than 90% in the past decade.

Once widespread across the Australian mainland, woylies are now only found in two small areas, in predator-free sanctuaries. Conservationists are working to re-establish more populations through translocation efforts.

The IUCN Status

Critically Endangered

At extremely high risk of extinction in the wild

Protecting woylies

We have successfully bred the woylies under a global breeding programme. Our woylies are a part of the EAZA Ex-situ Programme (EEP), which involves coordinated efforts by participating zoos to ensure the species’ future survival. Transfer of individuals between zoos for breeding is based on genetic compatibility.

The IUCN Status

Critically Endangered

At extremely high risk of extinction in the wild

The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species

The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species is widely recognized as the most comprehensive, objective global approach for evaluating the conservation status of plant and animal species.