It's an Australian native marsupial (i.e. a mammal that has a pouch for her young - in this case a backwards pouch because they burrow) that lives in desert regions of Australia and is endangered because feral cats and foxes eat them and habitat is destroyed and the nasty feral rabbits compete with them. There is actually a $30,000 fine in Queensland if you get caught keeping rabbits. This sometimes startles new immigrants from overseas or other states of Australia, so I thought I'd better throw it in to warn you. I have trouble watching Dr Harry Cooper when he visits some kid's pet bunny because the whole way through I'm thinking, "there's a bounty on that thing's pelt, mate, what on earth are you doing making it better?"
There are some areas that have been fenced, de-predatored, de-rabbited and bilbies are being reintroduced. They are cute, and therefore I agree that we should preserve them.
I had the opportunity last year to visit the breeding centre in Charleville and there was merchandise (to help to save the little critters). I couldn't help but get the cute soft magnetic one to go on our fridge. But various people who see him tend to rearrange him according to their own psychological profile.
Yes, poor bilby was splatted onto the fridge in an uncomfortable spreadeagled postion. This is the same little brother that used to dip his tiny teddy bickies into his coffee head-first making gurgling noises, then pulling them out and making panting noises before plunging them back into his coffee.
For example, this is what my Beloved has done to him. Neat and tidy, all his feet together, sitting straight and tall. The Bilby looks comfortable and happy. Just like my husband.
On the other hand, last time my brother visited the poor bilby ended up like this:-
Yes, poor bilby was splatted onto the fridge in an uncomfortable spreadeagled postion. This is the same little brother that used to dip his tiny teddy bickies into his coffee head-first making gurgling noises, then pulling them out and making panting noises before plunging them back into his coffee.
He is now a paramedic. Do you think his job might have effected the way he sees the world?
But then again, the chances that he hasn't been like that since his earliest days?
... Approximately None!
7 comments:
"They are cute, and therefore I agree that we should preserve them."
Lucky for the bilby it's cute then, eh??
I LOVE the tiny teddy story... but perhaps that's because I've been known to quote lines from Skippy whilst eating kangaroo...
Yeah, I don't get as protective of things like snakes and insects. Sad, I know, but there you are - I'm just shallow.
Knowing that same brother in real life, I can SO picture him doing that to his Tiny Teddies.
My husband would find a suggestive way to arrange it. I just accept that that's the way he is, and move on.
I love them though, they are very cute. Those ears!
Bilby... it's a cute name for a ummm.. yeah, it IS cute, but first thing that came to mind was, "It kinda looks like a rat with big ears, but it's cute!"
Ohhhh, don't say that about rabbits - not around my sister-in-law. She's from the Philippines. When my brother mentioned that sometimes at restaurants in the States, people order "Rabbit" as a main course, Roda was horrified.
In the Philippines, rabbits are pets (and they only have white rabbits there!) Roda said, "To eat a rabbit is like saying you're going to eat a cat!"
Funny how each place is different with our pets.
They are so tiny and cute. Great pics.
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