Community Corner
Meet the Bettongs, Ellin and Darcy
Ellin and Darcy are probably two of the most unusual creatures at the Prospect Park Zoo, but you might miss these nocturnal little critters for their elusive behavior.
Once listed as highly endangered, the brush-tailed bettongs have come back from the brink of extinction through reintroduction programs. Bettongs, known affectionately in their native Australia as “woylies,” live in the zoo’s small nocturnal animal section, surrounded by fellow night dwellers.
Bettongs are part of the macropod family, related to kangaroos and wallabies because of their large feet and like many Australian animals, are also marsupials or pouched mammals.
Strictly nocturnal, these animals transport nesting materials, like grass and shredded bark, with their brush-shaped tails to make their well-hidden and domed-shaped abodes. Zoo visitors, if they are lucky enough, can see Ellin and Darcy performing this curious task.
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Probably one of the most interesting facts about the bettong is its diet in the wild. Although they are omnivores, eating many types of foods like tubers, bulbs, and insects, they get the bulk of their nutrients from fungi buried deep underground.
The woylies dig out the underground goodies with their strong foreclaws. Their unique stomachs have a special area in which bacteria begins to digest the fungi by extracting its nutrients, then the food is fully digested by the rest of the stomach. Bettongs help maintain soil health with their digging.
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In the zoo, Ellin and Darcy eat a special omnivore diet that includes bananas, which is a favorite of many zoo animals. Their “upstairs neighbor” is . The Hermione is an arborial animal, which spends most of her time in tree trunks or hanging on the vines above, watching Ellin and Darcy hop around and collect hay with their tails. But if Ellin and Darcy leave a piece of banana in their food tray, watch out! The lazy tree dweller can become a stealthy banana thief, using her prehensile tail to hang low and snatch a banana, to Ellin and Darcy’s distress.
Next time you visit the Prospect Park Zoo, take some extra time to let your eyes adjust to the darkness of the nocturnal exhibits and see what really goes on at night.
