Southern dibbler

(Parantechinus apicalis)


Southern dibbler IUCN ENDANGERED (EN)


Facts about this animal

Southern dibblers are broad-footed marsupial mice with a head-body lenght of 11-14 cm and a tail of 8-11 cm. They have strong jaws with tiny, sharp teeth that help support their carnivorous tendencies, large eyes, a pointed snout, and long whiskers. The bottom of their feet contain grooves running along the pads that act as suckers and enable them to grip to trees and rocks. The feet end in sharp claws.


The dibbler breeds once a year during autumn and the females can carry as many as eight young in their shallow pouch until they are fully developed.


Dibblers differ from other marsupial mice in the hair of the tail-base forming a lengthened fringe. The "freckled" colouration and reddish forearms are also distinctive.

Did you know?
that the dibbler was believed to have become for more than 80 years until it was incidentally rediscovered it in 1967?


Name (Scientific) Parantechinus apicalis
Name (English) Southern dibbler
Name (French) Souris marsupiale mouchetée
Name (German) Sprenkelbeutelmaus
Name (Spanish) Antequino meridional
CITES Status Not listed
CMS Status Not listed



Photo Copyright by
WAZA Project



Range Western Australia
Habitat The dibbler has been recorded from sandy soils along with dense, long unburnt vegetation
Wild population 500-1000 mature individuals (Red List IUCN 2011)
Zoo population One colony of about 80-100 animals at Perth Zoo. None outside Australia.

In the Zoo

Southern dibbler


How this animal should be transported

For air transport, Container Note 75 of the IATA Live Animals Regulations should be followed.


Find this animal on ZooLex


Photo Copyright by
WAZA Proyect

Why do zoos keep this animal

Because dibblers are endangered in the wild, conservation breeding with a view of introducing the offspring into safe habitats is the main purposes of keeping them.