Random Things About Bilby, Officially Cutest Animal You've Probably Never Heard Of (13 items)

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  (#12) They Really Need Their Me Time

  You'd think an animal with burrows built for hosting parties, such fast-paced breeding habits, and an overall magnetic cuteness would make for a social creature. But not so.

  Instead, the bilby prefers a solitary lifestyle. They may breed many times per year, but that's because male bilbies are bigger than females and will travel quite a distance in order to find a mate. After all that travel, they prefer to spend the rest of their year alone, enjoying sweet solitude in one of their underground abodes. In some rare cases, bilbies have been found living together in groups. These groups may be as big as four and are usually the result of a mother still taking care of her young.
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  (#11) Who Needs Forks With Such A Useful Tongue?

  So how does the bilby catch its dinner? Especially with such horrible eyesight. It starts with their ears, which they put to the ground to listen for movement. When they hear something, they burrow down and use their dexterous, wiggly little nose to seek out their target. Their nose moves somewhat like an elephant trunk, though it can't pick things up.

  Instead, the bilby is equipped with a very long tongue, like an anteater, which they use to scoop up bugs. Of course, they end up eating a lot of dirt too with this method, but it still nets them their prey.
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  (#1) They Have A Bunch Of Different Names, Among Which Little Bunny Roo-Roo Is Not One

  Of course, the name "bilby" itself is pretty cool but its not this creature's only moniker. The name originally comes from the Yuwaalaraay Aborigines, a tribe that lives in New South Wales, and it translates roughly to "long-nosed rat." However, because there are many different aboriginal groups throughout the country, this isn't its only tribal name. 

  The animal is also called the pinkie, ninu, walpajirri, dalgyte, and the rabbit bandicoot or rabbit-eared bandicoot. While the bilby is in the same family as the bandicoot (yes, it's a real animal, not just a video game character) and looks somewhat similar, especially both specie's nose-shape, it's more kangaroo-like body and ears give it a competitive cuteness edge.
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  (#2) Their Long Flexible Ears Aren't Just For Looks

  You might see the word "rabbit" thrown around a lot in relation to the bilby, and that's for a pretty good reason. The ears of the bilby are long and resemble that of a bunny. Not only do these huge ears mean the bilby can hear really well, it also means that they can regulate their temperature more easily.

  On top of all that, their ears are intensely mobile. They can be rotated, tucked flat to the body, put out to either side, moved separately from each other, and can even be folded in half if need be. This ability is beneficial for hearing both prey and predators. Not to mention the versatility such ears provide for striking that perfect adorbs bilby selfie.
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  (#13) The Bilby Is One Of A Kind Due To Extinction

  There was once two types of bilbies. There was the greater bilby and the lesser bilby, and the second of these two went extinct sometime in the 1960's. This happened for many reasons including non-native predators such as cats, foxes, and dogs that liked to hunt the lesser bilby.

  Before these invaders, bilbies had few to no predators for hundreds of years and were free to thrive. Then rabbits ravaged their environment making it impossible for them to get enough food. The greater bilby survives but is in a precarious state. It is listed as threatened and endangered throughout Australia and continued problems with rabbits and foxes cause population declines. Conservation efforts are currently underway to help the bilby, so hopefully this precious creature will grace the Internet with its adorableness for years to come.
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  (#7) Bilbies Know How To Get Busy

  Speaking of rabbits, we all know how fast those little critters are known to reproduce. In one month, a rabbit can produce a batch of up to eight or nine baby bunnies. Shockingly, the bilby has the bunny beat in the baby-making business. From mating to birth, a bilby is only pregnant for a maximum of two weeks before having babies, making them one of the fastest reproducing mammals in the world.

  Bilbies can also breed at any time of year, as long as there is food in supply for the animals to live on. Bilbies can have up to four babies, though usually have only one or two, and they can reproduce multiple times per year. So, as far as their amorous habits, the bilby puts the bunny to shame.

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