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

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  (#4) They Really Need Eyeglasses

  Although their little black eyes are like tiny little black diamonds adorning their precious faces, the bilby's eyes are of little use. Unfortunately, bilbies have very poor eyesight, and rely more on their ears, nose, and whiskers to find their way about the world. They don't even use their vision much when tracking down things to eat. 

  Despite their keen senses of smell and hearing, their eyesight is a large reason invasive species have preyed on the bilby and caused their population to decline. Glasses just wouldn't go with the bilby's overall look.
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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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  (#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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  (#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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  (#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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  (#6) Bilbies Have Serious Beef With Bunnies

  Australia has a serious rabbit problem. They aren't native to Australia and since being introduced there, they have done horrible things to the native animal populations and wildlife. The government has even taken action to control the rabbit problem.

  Rabbits have especially proven a pest to the poor bilbies. Rabbits have encroached on the bilby's habitat, food supply, and efforts to poison rabbits have been just as murderous to bilbies as rabbits. Thus Australians would rather see an Easter Bilby over that pest the Easter Bunny. They are actively trying to replace the Easter bunny with the Easter Bilby. Chocolate bilbies are available in stores instead of chocolate bunnies and stories of the Easter Bilby have been written for kids.

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