Why the desert-dwelling bilby is Australia's answer to the Easter rabbit

Nature · Published 3 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: The bilby is a unique marsupial that thrives in arid Australian landscapes without ever needing to drink water. With its oversized ears and backwards-facing pouch, this nocturnal creature has evolved specialized tools for desert survival, yet it now faces an uphill battle against invasive predators and habitat loss.

The genus Macrotis, meaning 'big-eared' in Greek, comprises the bilbies, or rabbit-bandicoots. These marsupials are distinguished from their bandicoot relatives by their silky fur, longer tails, and exceptionally large ears, which serve as vital heat radiators. Perfectly adapted to the desert, they are nocturnal omnivores that derive all necessary moisture from their diet of insects, seeds, fungi, and small animals. Their physical design is equally specialized; they are master burrowers, using strong forelimbs to construct extensive tunnel systems. Female bilbies possess a unique evolutionary trait: a backwards-facing pouch that prevents dirt from entering while they dig.

The lineage of these animals is ancient, stretching back 15 million years. While modern bilbies are desert-dwellers, fossil evidence from 2014 suggests their ancestors once inhabited forests, possessing shorter teeth suited for fruit consumption before evolving the long teeth required for their current digging lifestyle. Today, the genus is represented by the greater bilby, as the lesser bilby went extinct in the 1950s. The greater bilby is currently listed as vulnerable, threatened by habitat change and competition with invasive species like foxes and cats.

Conservation efforts are now central to the species' future. Recovery programs include captive breeding and reintroduction projects, such as the 2000 release into South Australia's Arid Recovery Reserve and the 2019 release into a predator-proof enclosure at Currawinya National Park. To raise awareness and funds, the bilby has been promoted as a native Australian alternative to the Easter Bunny, with chocolate versions sold to support protection research. Despite these efforts, the bilby remains a symbol of the fragility of Australia's unique wildlife in the face of modern ecological pressures.

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