| Ampurta | |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Class: | Mammalia |
| Infraclass: | Marsupialia |
| Order: | Dasyuromorphia |
| Family: | Dasyuridae |
| Genus: | Dasycercus |
| Species: | D. hillieri |
| Binomial name | |
| Dasycercus hillieri (O. Thomas, 1905) | |
The ampurta (Dasycercus hillieri) is a species of mulgara. [1] The ampurta is a marsupial micro-predator native to Australia. [2]
The species was classified as Endangered in the 1900s, but the population rebounded in 2013 to Vulnerable. In 2019 it was classified as Least Concern, having expanded its range by >48,000 km2 between 2015 and 2021. [3] The comeback was primarily attributed to a decline in Australia's cat population thanks to efforts to reduce non-native rabbit populations (the cat's primary prey). [2] Other factors that helped the species rebound include its ability to enter a torpid state, allowing the ampurta to survive conditions of severe drought. [2]