by north-north-west » Sat 17 Jun, 2023 5:27 pm
I'm trying to identify a critter seen on my last little ramble. Not a rat, but maybe the size of a small rat - smaller than a potoroo anyway - tail short or not obvious, ground dwelling, sort of four-legged hop style of locomotion (lift front paws off ground, push off with rear, land on front paws, lift rear paws, bring them forward, ground back paws and repeat). No photos because they were fleeting encounters, but there is obviously a healthy population spread around the area.
ETA: after a certain amount of searching my GoogleFu has come up with White-footed dunnart Sminthopsis leucopus although it would have to have been a large one; there's certainly nothing else that fits. It's also a new one on me as I didn't even know we had dunnarts in Tassie. Neat.
"Mit der Dummheit kämpfen Götter selbst vergebens."