Bandihog (SciiFii)

The bandihog (Galeochoerus striatus), also known as the marsupial pig and the marsupial peccary, is a species of large pig-like bandicoot, most closely related to the pig-footed bandicoots (Chaeropus), that originally did not exist, but has since been created by SciiFii and introduced throughout the rainforests, wetlands, forests, open woodlands, grasslands, shrublands, scrublands, and deserts across Australia to help boost biodiversity. The bandihog is similar in size and niche to the collared peccary of the Americas. Being an omnivorous marsupial, it feeds mainly on cactus, mesquite beans, fruits, berries, seeds, roots, tubers, bulbs, palm nuts, grasses, other green vegetation, fungi, and insects. However, they will also eat eggs, snakes, fish, frogs, lizards, dead birds, smaller marsupials, and rodents if the opportunity presents itself. The bandihog may form large groups in places with abundant food and water, being a key prey species in its ecosystem. Bandihogs are diurnal creatures that live in groups of up to 50 individuals, averaging between six and nine animals. They sleep in burrows (often under bushes or larger systems of tree roots), but sometimes can be found in caves, abandoned mines, old desert tunnels, or among logs, felled trees and abandoned timber. However, bandihogs are not completely diurnal. In eastern Australia, they are often more active at night, and less so in the heat of the daytime. Although they usually ignore humans, they will react if they feel threatened. They defend themselves with their short, but strong tusks. A bandihog peccary can give a sharp bark if it is alarmed. Aboriginal peoples sometimes raise and tame juvenile bandihogs, if they are encountered. Bandihogs will also rub their scent onto rocks and tree stumps to mark their territory, and rub the scent on each other to help with identification. The conservation status of the bandihog is Least Concern due to successful conservation efforts, the bandihog's wide range and its tolerance to many of the human activities.