Many animals have survived through different and harsh conditions. Back then though there isn't much interference from humans as there is now. One of those animal species that have survived is marsupials. Marsupials might have survived climate changed, but are now endangered because of human activity.
Scientists are studying a type of marsupial to see how they have survived through time. This marsupial is the bandicoot. Fossil and DNA from both living and extinct types have been analyzed in order to know more about the animal.
While bandicoots might have survived through climate change in the past, it is facing challenges today. These challenges include predators, habitat loss and hunting. This has been the observation of Dr. Benjamin Kear, lead author of the study from the Museum of Evolution at Uppsala University.
The study of bandicoot and its extinct ancestors have much importance to Australia's biodiversity. This also has much to do with climate change, as the continent has slowly shifted towards a more dry climate around 5-10 million years ago. This shift has driven many species to extinction, according to AlphaGalileo. While many species became extinct, new ones emerged to take their place.
In the study of the bandicoot and its ancestors, the researchers have found that there is an ancestor that could be around 50 million years old. The earliest bandicoot ancestor fossils found are about 25 million years old, as Science Daily reports. The modern bandicoot only appeared around 5 million years ago.
Dr. Ken Aplin from the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History has been studying one of the bandicoot ancestors, Lemdubuoryctes aruensis. The animal's habitat though isn't rainforest, but more of a vast savannah. It's been speculated that Australia's environment adapted by changing its distribution, as Professor Emeritus Michael Westerman from La Trobe University said. That means that ancestors of the modern bandicoot have already been around even before Australia has become arid.
The study of the bandicoot is essential as they are an example of some of the ancient species living in Australia. These are some of the marsupials that survived climate change but are now endangered. Mammals do live longer in zoos, as a study suggests, which could save some of the endangered animals.
