A quenda came to dinner

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When we were at my brother-in-law’s place a few days ago, a quenda joined us. We were sitting under the patio enjoying a barbecue when the quenda or western brown bandicoot (Isoodon obesulus fusciventer), came sniffing around our feet looking for something to eat. They are small marsupials with a long pointed snout and a short hairless tail. They range from 40–50 cm (16–20 in). The one we saw in the evening would have been an adult but we saw a much smaller one next morning. The long muzzle and powerful front claws are designed for digging in the soil after grubs and arthropods, although they also eat roots and fungi. My BIL has a love-hate relationship with them as they are forever burrowing under his plants and uprooting them. The unique conical diggings actually aerate the soil, allowing nutrients to cycle more efficiently. The pouch is backwards facing so that it doesn’t fill with with dirt when the quenda is digging. And now I just have to hope that Vince’s photo loads.