Bandicoot, common name for any of 21 species of marsupial found in Australia, New Guinea, Papua, Indonesia, and Tasmania.
The bandicoot is distinguished by two divergent marsupial characteristics: the presence of many incisor teeth, as in the flesh- and insect-eating marsupials, and a specialized foot structure in which the second and third toes are grown together, as in the herb-eating kangaroo. The bandicoot ranges in length from 15 to 56 cm (6 to 22 in), depending on the species. The fur may
be orange, grayish, or brown, and in some species is striped. The large hind legs, which have claws, are longer than the forelegs
and are used for hopping.
The bandicoot is generally nocturnal and hides during the day in a nest, hollow log, or crevice. Most species are omnivorous and eat insects, small mammals, or plants. Others, like the rabbit bandicoots, or bilbies, prefer a carnivorous diet, including small mammals and lizards. Although the bandicoot digs holes in gardens while foraging, it is generally a useful animal, destroying mice and insect pests. The bandicoot fights by kicking with its hind legs. It bites only as a last resort. The pig-footed bandicoot and the Ceram Island long-nosed bandicoot are now thought to be extinct. Both species of rabbit bandicoot are currently endangered.
