Marsupial meerkat (SciiFii)

The marsupial meerkat (Surigale socialis), also known as the marsupial mongoose, is a species of bandicoot, most closely related to bilbies (Macrotis lagotis), that originally did not exist, but has since been created by SciiFii and introduced throughout the grasslands, shrublands, scrublands, and deserts across Australia to help boost biodiversity. As its name suggests, the marsupial meerkat fills the similar ecological niche to the mongooses, including meerkats. The length of the marsupial meerkat's head and body is around 509–671 millimetres (20.0–26.4 inches). Marsupial meerkats are eusocial, and form packs of two to 30 individuals each that occupy home ranges around 5 km2 (1.9 sq mi) in area. There is a social hierarchy—generally dominant individuals in a pack breed and produce offspring, and the nonbreeding, subordinate members provide altruistic care to the joeys. They live in rock crevices in stony, often calcareous areas, and in large burrow systems in plains. The burrow systems, usually slightly more than 5 meters (16 feet) in diameter with around 20 openings, are large underground networks consisting of three to four levels of tunnels. These tunnels are around 7.5 centimeters (3.0 inches) high at the top and wider below, and extend up to 1.5 meters (4.9 feet) into the ground. Burrows have moderated internal temperatures and provide a comfortable microclimate that protects marsupial meerkats in harsh weather and at extreme temperatures. Marsupial meerkats are active during the day, mostly in the early morning and late afternoon; they remain continually alert and retreat to burrows (or 'boltholes') on sensing danger. They use a broad variety of calls to communicate among one another for different purposes, for example to raise alarm on sighting a predator. Primarily insectivorous, marsupial meerkats feed heavily on beetles and lepidopterans, though they also include amphibians, arthropods, small birds, reptiles, smaller mammals, and plant material in their diet. Breeding occurs round the year, with peaks during heavy rainfall; after a gestation of 60 to 70 days a litter of four to nine joeys is born. The conservation status of the marsupial meerkat is Least Concern due to successful conservation efforts, the marsupial meerkat's wide range and its tolerance to many of the human activities.