The long-footed potoroo (Potorous longipes) is a small marsupial found in southeastern Australia, restricted to an area around the coastal border between New South Wales and Victoria. It was first recorded in 1967 when an adult male was caught in a dog trap in the forest southwest of Bonang, Victoria. It is classified as vulnerable. P. longipes is the largest species of Potorous, resembling the long-nosed potoroo, Potorous tridactylus. It is a solitary, nocturnal creature, feeding on fungi, vegetation, and small invertebrates. It differs from P. tridactylus in its larger feet and longer tail. Current threats to the species include predation by introduced feral cats and foxes, and loss of habitat from logging within its limited range.
Taxonomy The scientific name of the animal commonly known as the long-footed potoroo is Potorous longipes. Potoroo is the common name for all of the three other species in the genus Potorous, Gilbert's potoroo, P. gilbertii, the broad-faced potoroo, P. platyops, and long-nosed potoroo, P. tridactylus. P. longipes is the largest potoroo, and most resembles P. tridactylus. The species was first recorded in 1967 in the East Gippsland region of Victoria, Australia. The formal description was published in 1980. Remains of the long-footed potoroo were found in predator droppings in 1986.
Description and anatomy The long-footed potoroo is a very rare marsupial only found in Australia. A potoroo is a small type of kangaroo-like marsupial. It is about the size of a rabbit and its common name suggests, it has very long hind feet. These feet have long toes with very strong claws. The species is the largest potoroos with males weighing up to 2.3 kg (5.1 lb) and females 1.4 kg (3.1 lb). The entire body length is 380–415 mm (15.0–16.3 in). The tail can be between 315 and 325 mm (12.4 and 12.8 in) in length, while the hind foot is 103–114 mm (4.1–4.5 in). This animal can be differentiated from other potoroos by its long back feet, which are the same length relative to its head. It has an extra footpad called the hallcual pad. The long-footed potoroo hops in a similar fashion to a kangaroo, yet can use its tail to grasp objects. It has a soft, dense coat, with grayish-brown fur that slowly fades into a lighter color on the feet and belly.
Behavior and life history
Habitat and distribution The long-footed potoroo lives in a range of montane forests. It has also been found in the warmer temperate rainforest. This species lives where the soil is constantly moist. It spends its day time sleeping in a nest on the ground in a hidden, sheltered area. An essential feature of the long-footed potoroo's habitat is the dense vegetation cover that supplies protection and shelter from predators. This species was not known to science until 1967, so historically, it is inadequately understood. It has a very restricted area where it lives. The main populations can be found in Victoria, in the Barry Mountains, which is in the northeast part of the state, and in the East Gippsland, located in the far east. A smaller population lives north of the Victorian border in the south-east forest of New South Wales. It was reported in October 2025 that images of a long-footed potoroo were recorded on a camera that was set up to monitor feral cats in the Kosciuszko National Park in southern New South Wales. This was the first time the marsupial was found within the park.
Population The long-footed potoroo is very difficult to find in the wild due to its shy behavior. The National Recovery Plan states that a few thousand individuals are unlikely to remain in the wild as of now; only a few hundred long-footed potoroos may survive.
Diet Long-footed potoroos' diet normally consists of up to 91% of fruiting fungi found under ground. They are known to consume up to 58 different species of fungi as part of their diet. These underground fungi are also called sporocarps or truffles. If necessary, they may also eat fruits, plant material, and soil-dwelling invertebrates. Their jaws have shearing premolars and molars that are rounded at the top, indicating a varied diet is consumed. The long-footed potoroo plays a part in the symbiotic relationship between the fungi (Ectomycorrhizae) and the trees. It helps this relationship by releasing the spores of the fruiting fungi through its fecal material. In turn, this helps keep the forest healthy, benefiting both the fungi and the forest. The species of fungi that are eaten in the winter and summer are similar, but the amount of each type of fungal species varies between seasons and years. It has a sacculated fore stomach in which bacterial fermentation occurs. This aids in the breakdown of fungal cell walls.
Behavior and communication The long-footed potoroo is very shy and elusive. It can produce a vocalization, a low kiss kiss sound when stressed or to communicate to its offspring. Although the long-footed potoroo is a nocturnal species, it may partake in early-morning basking in the sun. The long-footed potoroo is constantly hidden from plain sight. Under normal conditions, males are not aggressive. Nevertheless, if provoked, they can become aggressive in defending their home.
Mating, reproduction, and parental care Breeding can occur all year, yet most young are born in the winter, spring, and early summer. Higher rainfall and deep, moist soil full of leaf litter provides a stable food supply. In turn, these periods of good conditions allows breeding to occur easily. When a female is in estrus, nearby males fight with one another, until dominance is established. The species has a monogamous mating system. The gestation period is around 38 days. In captivity, the offspring stay in the mother's pouch for 140 to 150 days. The offspring then reaches sexual maturity around 2 years old. Females can give birth up to three young per year, though one or two young is most commonly seen. After the young leave the pouch, they can stay with their mothers up to 20 weeks until they become independent. They stay in the mother's territory up to 12 months before leaving. The long-footed potoroo exhibits postpartum oestrus and embryonic diapauses.
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