Numbats have evolved in semi-arid environments and are diurnal meaning that they are active during the day to match their strict termite diet. However a recent study has shown that their foraging time may be reduced as temperatures increase due to climate change.

Recent research from Curtin Uni’s Dr Christine Cooper and Philip Withers used thermal imaging and heat balance modelling to examine the thermal ecology of native animals including numbats. The heat balance model indicated that high environmental heat loads limit foraging in open areas to as little as 10 minutes and that climate change may extend these periods of inactivity. These results show that climate change has implications for the species’ future conservation and management.

Numbat eat roughly 20,000 termites per day and lactating females even more. They spend a lot of time foraging and digging to find these termites and having to retreat to hollow logs and borrows during the day for longer periods of time may reduce foraging time and numbats ability to forage all of the termites they require for energy.

As one of the outcomes of PHCC’s recently completed Numbat Neighbourhood Project (2018-2023) we worked with Numbat, Woylie and Chuditch Recovery Teams to embed actions for climate change in corresponding Recovery Plans, with actions aligning with the Threatened Species Action Plan 2022-2032. The study highlights the need for more research into how increasing temperatures will impact numbats and other threatened species as temperatures increase.

You can read more here https://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2024-01-12/hot-temperatures-too-much-for-australias-cutest-anteater/103307338

Photo credit –  Dr Karen Bettink

This project was supported by the Peel-Harvey Catchment Council Numbat Neighbourhood Project through funding from the Australian Government’s National Landcare Program

We acknowledge the Noongar people as Traditional Custodians of this land and pay our respects to all Elders past and present