Kowari
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ID#2
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Classification: Mammal
Endangered Status: Vulnerable Habitat: Plains, braided river channel, sand dunes. The kowari, also know as a brush-tailed marsupial rat, is a small covered with ashy-grey fur with a distinguishing brush of black hairs completely encircling the end of its tail. It grows to 16.5-18 cm long with a 13-14 cm tail. The kowari have a lifespan of 3-6 years. It lives underground burrows, alone or in small groups. A kowari is a nocturnal animal, but like owls, has amazing vision. Its diet consists mainly of insects and spiders, but also consists of small lizards, birds or rodents. It is known as a voracious predator. It emerges to hunt among grass tussocks for food. Little is known about kowari mating behavior, but it is believed to occur in burrows underground. They breed in winter, and gives birth birth to litters of 5-6 young after a gestation period of 32 days. Female kowari usually breed once a year. One of the most interesting fact about the kowari is that it eats its prey by holding it with its 2 front paws. Another interesting fact about the kowari. Since it is a very small mammal, it can eat 1 bird all at once, once it has the prey in its 2 front paws, it bites it repeatedly. The kowari is a marvelous and interesting creature that loves to burrow underground and hunts its prey with speed, it has a very long tail that it uses to balance its self out so that it can sneak up on its prey with ease. |