Golden bandicoot

The golden bandicoot (Isoodon auratus; Yolngu: Wan'kurra) is a short-nosed bandicoot found in northern Australia. It is the smallest of its genus, and is distinguished from the brown bandicoots by its golden colouring and much smaller size.

It was once found throughout much of northern, central and western Australia, into south-western New South Wales, but it is now restricted to a few areas in Western Australia (WA) and the Northern Territory (NT). The I. auratus auratus subspecies, also known as the golden bandicoot (mainland), is found in the Kimberley region of WA, and on three of the Wessel Islands, NT: Marchinbar, Raragala, and Guluwuru Islands. Another subspecies, I. auratus barrowensis or golden bandicoot (Barrow Island), is found on Augustus, Barrow and Middle Islands off Western Australia (I. auratus barrowensis). As of 2023 the classification into subspecies is debated; however the whole species is classed as vulnerable species.