Butler’s dunnart is a small marsupial, with a head and body length of around 88 mm and a tail length of around 90 mm. Its tail is thin and sparsely furred. The species is similar in general appearance to a range of small dasyurids occurring across Australia, including the Kakadu dunnart (S. bindi) and red-cheeked dunnart (S. virginiae) in northern Australia. All are generally grey-brown above and pale below, with large ears and eyes, and a sharply pointed muzzle. Butler’s dunnart probably feeds on a variety of invertebrates and small vertebrates.
Butler's Dunnart |
Sminthopsis butleri
Status: Vulnerable on the EPBC Act list
Government evidence of impact of climate change:
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Australian Government, Conservation Advice, Sminthopsis butleri
Woinarski et al.; (2014) identifies current and potential threats to the species as follows Threat factor Consequence Extent over which Evidence base rating threat may operate Inappropriate fire Moderate severe Large Not demonstrated; but regimes possible Habitat loss and Catastrophic Minor c. 320 km2 of optimum fragmentation habitat have been cleared in the last two decades (Firth et al.; 2006) there have been no records of Butler s dunnart from such cleared lands and plantations Predation by feral Moderate Large Not demonstrated; but cats plausible the distribution and abundance of feral cats in the range area of Butler s dunnart is poorly known Poisoning by cane Severe catastrophic Toads currently absent Unknown some small toads from the Tiwi islands; dasyurids rapidly learn to but high likelihood of avoid toads (Webb et al.; colonisation within 1 2 2008; 2011) decades.
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