Introducing the Southern long-nosed Potoroo 
Earlier this week, we received a call from a kind member of the public who had come across a small, frightened creature beside a rabbit trap on their property. To our surprise and delight, the little one turned out to be a Southern Long-nosed Potoroo — a shy and rarely seen marsupial native to parts of eastern and southern Australia, including pockets of Tasmania. These remarkable animals are something of a hidden treasure, often going unnoticed due to their secretive nature and preference for dense, damp undergrowth.
The Southern Long-nosed Potoroo (Potorous tridactylus) is a quiet, ground-dwelling marsupial that belongs to a group known as potoroids — close relatives of kangaroos and wallabies, though much smaller in stature and secretive in nature. Unlike their better-known cousins, potoroos are rarely seen by humans. They prefer to move under cover of darkness, foraging quietly through the undergrowth in search of fungi, roots, tubers, insects, and seeds.
Potoroos have evolved to thrive in moist, dense environments with plenty of ground cover — places where they can hide from predators and find food without needing to venture far. Their long, sensitive snouts and strong forelimbs make them excellent diggers. In fact, they spend much of their night gently turning over the forest floor, unearthing fungal fruiting bodies that are invisible to the untrained eye.
Their diet, rich in truffles and underground fungi, isn’t just a quirky preference — it plays a vital role in the broader ecosystem. The fungi they consume form symbiotic relationships with plant roots, helping trees and shrubs absorb water and nutrients. When potoroos dig and consume these fungi, they redistribute the spores across the landscape. Without this underground spore spreading, some plant species would struggle to thrive.
In terms of social behaviour, potoroos are generally solitary, though their home ranges may overlap. They build small, hidden nests out of grasses and leaves, tucked beneath logs or shrubs. A single potoroo might use multiple nests within its territory, rotating between them for safety.
Breeding can occur throughout the year, but tends to peak in spring and early summer. After a short gestation period of about 38 days, the female gives birth to a single joey, which climbs into her pouch where it continues developing for around four months. Even after leaving the pouch, the young will stay close to the mother for additional weeks as it learns to forage and fend for itself.
Unfortunately, potoroos face numerous threats in the modern landscape. Habitat destruction through land clearing, agriculture, and development continues to fragment their range. Predation by introduced species — particularly foxes and cats — has placed enormous pressure on populations, especially where natural cover has been removed. In some regions, fire regimes have also shifted, reducing the availability of fungal food sources and ground-level shelter.
In Tasmania, where potoroos are still present but under pressure, conservation efforts focus on habitat protection, feral predator control, and raising awareness about the species’ importance to forest health. Every sighting matters. Every rescue helps.
So while they might not be as famous as Tasmanian devils or wombats, the Southern Long-nosed Potoroo is a quiet cornerstone of the bush — an ecological linchpin hidden in plain sight.
This sweet little girl will spend the night with us before being transported to an experienced carer with the expertise to look after her until it’s time for release.
We are thrilled to be able to have the experience of seeing these awesome little creatures up close, and to be a small part of her journey back to the wild.
We’ve named her Maple 
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