Welcome to the Backyard Bandicoots website. Here you can find information about our current and future research. For the next few years, we will be studying urban bandicoots in Mandurah. This is a collaborative project between Murdoch University researchers, City of Mandurah personnel, and local residents (this could be you!).
There are many species of bandicoot in Australia. The southwest subspecies of southern brown bandicoot (Isoodon obesulus fusciventer) is sufficiently different from the eastern states subspecies (Westerman et al. 2012) to warrant being classified a species on its own (K. Travouillon WA Museum pers. comm.). We therefore call our southern brown bandicoots by their local name: ‘quenda’
Use the tabs above to explore our research projects and learn how you can get involved. If you are a university student, please check out our potential student projects. If you’re a teacher or parent (or just want to learn about quenda), have a look at our educational resources.
We would love to hear from you – what is your experience with quenda? Do you see them in your garden or local bushland? Is this the first time you’ve heard of them? Contact us or leave a comment below.
Westerman, M., Kear, B.P., Aplin, K., Meredith, R.W., Emerling, C. & Springer, M.S. (2012) Phylogenetic relationships of living and recently extinct bandicoots based on nuclear and mitochondrial DNA sequences. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 62, 97-108.
westernWEB 
John and I live in Bouvard, south of Dawesville on the Harvey estuary and adjacent to a residential reserve. The reserve and our garden is riddled with what we believe are quenda holes. The activity has increased substantially recently and we have been seeing quendas in the garden late in the evening.
We would be delighted to have a wildlife camera in the garden o monitor activity or have researchers come to observe.
Regards, Sue Pastore
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I live in Roleystone Perth Hills area. We have had resident bandicoots for thirty years which were limited at first by our pet dog whose presence scared them off. However the current cat has no issue with them and does not attempt to harm them, in fact if they enter the house she just ignores them. Although I don’t intentionally feed them they do eat the cat biscuits. We are on 1/2 acre of mixed native garden so they appear quite happy and track across our neighbours’ yards as well.
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I live in Oakford we have lots of bandicoot’s not nocturnal run around all day. Have some pics happy to share
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great website keep doing more stuff love it.
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High Im the founder and Senior Manager of Operations at Manurah Wildlife Hospital WA.
Dawesville. We are already involved in s study on Quenda’s
With Murdoch Uni’.
However we welcome a further study on this property as we have a large number of Quenda. We will be happy for your involvement in what ever way you need. Kindest Regards Dot Terry.
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We recently had an adult and (I think) baby in the garden for a few months despite having a cat (shes locked in at night).The larger one I found in the lawn mower catcher that was full of grass clippings in the shed. Unfortunatly I haven’t seen them since. I’m in Yunderup.
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