Too much sex isn't good

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I've written about the giant tingle trees which we saw recently in south-west Western Australia when we were supporting a friend on the Bibbulman Track, a walking trail which stretches from Perth to Albany on the south coast. We parked the bus/motor-home in the carpark at the Giant Tingle Tree and stayed the night there. Towards late afternoon we were treated to the sight of a little mouse-like creature busily running round the carpark searching for food. I had trouble identifying it and in the end sent an email with photo to Perth Zoo. They say it is a mardo or yellow-footed antechinus (Antichinus flavipes). This is a shrew-like marsupial which has rather bizarre sexual behaviour. The male becomes so frenzied during the mating season that the immune system is compromised. They usually die of stress before they reach a year old. They are 10-13cm long (4-5 inches). They eat invertebrates, eggs, nectar and occasionally small vertebrates. He wasn't frightened of us and didn't mind trying some crumbs of bread. I was hoping we might see some little creatures that we don't often come across so I was pretty pleased to be able to get a photo of this little fellow.