Phrederick Phascogale (Image: Donna Anthony)
PHREDERICK, the brush-tailed phascogale, was a sad sight when Wilvos worker Sylvia Whiting first saw him. His head was bloodied and he had been lying on the road for some time, a probable hit and run victim. While this usually feisty little creature had miraculously survived, his future at that point was not looking promising.
But several weeks later, after many trips to the Woombye vet surgery for antibiotics and fluids, and much love and care lavished on him by the Pettet family from Nambour, he was healthy and strong enough to release back into the wild.
Phrederick, as we named him, is a Phascogale tapoatafa pirata, a sub-species that is found only in Queensland, according to the CSIRO. Differences in size, colour, fur length and number of teeth have been noted. I have never seen one in the wild, let alone handled one of these amazing little nocturnal mammals.
With a body length of about 15 cm and a unique brush tail which was a little shorter than his body, Phrederick was a give-away for identification when Wilvos received the call on their 5441 6200 hotline.
Brush-tailed phascogales often live in hollow trees near the roadside, which is probably why this young carnivorous marsupial was found in the middle of the road. Having multiple sites within home range, the phascogale does need to be protected from roadside clearing of trees which is often done without prior expert environmental assessment.
After the first week in care, frail Phrederick started to look at crickets and other potential food with renewed interest. Soon he was tearing into (dead) pinkie mice with the tenacity of a hungry lion while the Pettett family, who took on his long-term care, just about needed a bank loan to feed him.
Phascogales have a unique quality in that the number of teats in the species varies from one to eight across the different regions of Australia. Drought times and climate change have a major influence on these dasyurids. Often only four young are produced in drought time, whereas up to 13 young can be born in good seasons. A lactation period of up to five months seems an unusually long time for an animal which has such a short sweet life.
For Phrederick and the Wilvos it was a meeting of mutual benefit, with the young phascogale getting a new chance in life while the human carers were provided with a learning experience and the opportunity to glean and record new knowledge of these Australian native animals.
When frightened, Phrederick was seen to flatten himself against a branch, a good camouflage in his usually arboreal environment. Occasionally, if one listened closely, a most exquisite purring sound could be heard. He showed a distinct interest in little gliders when he saw them. Definitely not a species to house close by.
Releasing this strong, healthy young fellow back to his home site was a bitter sweet experience. This time of year sees the brush-tailed phascogale males tearing around their area competing for female attention. They have to be fit, as after all this high activity the actual copulation can last for several hours, with the female reportedly dozing off occasionally.
After this intense breeding season, the males die off. Even the females are lucky to live through to a second season. Combined with times of drought and habitat destruction the brush-tailed phascogale is going to find it difficult not to be added to Australia’s future list of extinct mammals.
Wildlife Volunteers Association Inc.
(WILVOS). Phone (07) 5441 6200; PO Box
2555, Nambour West, Queensland 4560.
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