Lesser bilby

Macrotis leucura

Blamed on cats

IUCN status: Extinct

Last seen: Macrotis leucura was last seen near Koonchera Dune (Cooncherie) in north-eastern South Australia in 1931 and in 1967 in Alice Springs near the edge of the Simpson Desert (IUCN 2023)

IUCN claim: “Predation from introduced feral cats and red foxes is considered to be the major cause of extinction, probably exacerbated by changes in fire regime.”

Studies in support

Lesser bilbies were last confirmed at Koonchera Dune and Alice Springs 51-61 and 87-97 years after cats arrived, respectively (Wallach and Lundgren 2025).

Studies not in support

No studies

Is the threat claim evidence-based?

NA

Evidence linking Macrotis leucura to cats. Last records of extirpated populations relative to earliest local records of cats. Error bars show record uncertainty range. Predator arrival records were digitized from Abbott 2008.

References

Abbott, The spread of the cat, Felis catus, in Australia: re-examination of the current conceptual model with additional information. Conservation Science Western Australia 7 (2008).

IUCN Red List. https://www.iucnredlist.org/ Accessed June 2023

Wallach A.D., Lundgren E.J. (2025) Review of evidence that foxes and cats cause extinctions of Australia’s endemic mammals. BioScience. DOI: 10.1093/biosci/biaf046