Nocturnal Species

Isoodon macrourus

Welcome Crash & Hazel to our Nocturnal Zone! The pair both weigh just one kilogram and are a year old. Find them hanging out with our two yellow-bellied gliders and rufous bettong!

The northern brown bandicoots are native to the coastlines of northern and eastern Australia, where they spend their nights foraging for plants, insects, and small critters like lizards and snails. These pocket-sized marsupials can grow up to 2.1kg and 47cm long.

Northern Brown Bandicoot Isoodon macrourus has most recently been assessed for The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species in 2016. Isoodon macrourus is listed as Least Concern.

Dasyurus viverrinus

Known for their striking fur pattern - ranging from fawn to black with white spots - these small cat-like marsupials play a crucial role in the ecosystem as natural pest controllers with a substantial portion of their diet consists of insects including crickets and spiders. Being an agile predator, quolls can also hunt larger prey such as rabbits, rats, and mice.

Litoria aurea 

The Green and Golden Bell Frogs are considered vulnerable due to habitat loss, pollution, and introduced predators like the mosquito fish. It feeds on insects, spiders, and even smaller frogs. Despite its name, it doesn’t have a loud call. Its croak is more of a soft growl.

Green Frog Litoria aurea has most recently been assessed for The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species in 2021. Litoria aurea is listed as Near Threatened under criteria A2ce.

Often mistaken for owls, the tawny frogmouth are more closely related to the nightjar family, characterised by its medium size, long wings, and stout bill. These nocturnal birds are masters of camouflage, spending their days perfectly still, blending into tree bark with their mottled plumage. By night, they hunt using a sit-and-wait strategy, pouncing on unsuspecting prey with their wide, hooked beaks.

The Bilby is one of Australia’s most unique but also lesser-known species. They are what we call a keystone species, which means their survival increases the chances of survival of 19 other threatened species. They thrive in a wide variety of vegetation types and land forms from open forest to grasslands. They are the largest of the bandicoot family however, these marsupials are now a threatened species due to introduced predators such as cats and foxes. WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo is committed to helping is restore the Bilby population. Come visit our beautiful Bilbies in our Nightfall zone. 

Litoria caerulea

Known for its bright green colour and gentle nature. It eats insects and
other small invertebrates, often hunting at night. While they’re common in many areas, they still face threats from habitat loss and
pollution... and are sometimes found curled up in letterboxes or toilets!

Green Tree Frog Litoria caerulea has most recently been assessed for The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species in 2021. Litoria caerulea is listed as Least Concern.

Petaurus breviceps

Sugar Gliders are a charming, native Australian marsupial that play an important role in the ecosystem, helping to control the insect population and pollinate native Australian plants. These palm-sized, nocturnal marsupials can be found in tall eucalypt forests and woodlands along eastern and northern NSW. 

Whilst the Plains Mouse may appear small in size to some, they are one the largest Rodents to exist in their habitat reaching an impressive 85 grams. They are often described as stocky and have a brown coat with silver sheen on the backs and side to accompany their large eyes and ears. Notably, the Plain Mouse has quite a unique range of vocalisations with anything from chirps to squeaks.

Litoria splendida

This large species native to northern Australia, feeding mainly on insects and other small invertebrates. Their biggest threat is habitat loss due to land clearing and climate change. These frogs have a loud, barking call and are known to sometimes live in toilets or drains
in the tropics!

Navigating the forest floor with ease, the long-nosed potoroo sniffs the ground in a side to side motion in pursuit of a meal. When dawn breaks the grey brown coat of the Potoroo enables them to take refuge in a lush understory of grass-trees, sedges, ferns, heath or low shrubs of tea trees. Potoroos have certainly made their mark on history as one of the animal kingdom's first truffle hunters.

Meet our 2 Yellow-bellied Gliders, Leia and Corymbia. Gliders have the ability to glide up to 114 meters and can make such high pitched shrieks that they can be heard up to 500m away. Our 2 girls love to climb and can be found all over their exhibit in Nightfall, even climbing along the roof! These beautiful creatures are listed as "vulnerable" on the endangered species list, due to declining populations due to loss of habitat. 

Rufous Bettongs can be found all up the eastern coast of Australia. These little marsupials have prehensile tails that they use to carry nesting material to make their nests. Francesca and Renezmay our two Refous Bettongs are not morning people and if awoken to early they will make pig-like growling noises. Come and see these little cuties in our Nightfall exhibit.