Save the Potoroo!

(Perth, Australia) The Gilbert's potoroo, a small rat-kangaroo marsupial, was thought to be extinct until a small population was discovered in 1994 in the far southwestern corner of Australia.

Estimated to number only 30 to 40 animals which almost exclusively exist on a diet of underground fungi, Gilbert's potoroo is Australia's most endangered animal. It's believed that a simple brushfire could wipe out the entire species.

If the preceding isn't troubling enough, there's more bad news adding to the potoroos' vulnerability. It is estimated that "80% of the Gilbert's potoroo population is infected with a form of the bacteria treponema, which is similar to the microbe that causes syphilis in rabbits."

According to Dr. Rebecca Vaughan, the infection causes "severe inflammation of the penis and a bright green discharge from the bottoms." Obviously, the malady has a significant impact on the marsupials' ability to reproduce.

Given the problems facing Gilbert's potoroo, I suspect its survival will only be achievable with massive human intervention.