‘As miserable as a bandicoot’: 150 years of human-wildlife conflict with bandicoots in New South Wales, c. 1804–1954

Context Narratives around declines and extinctions of critical weight range (CWR) mammals in Australia have focused on the dramatic impacts of invasive predators and habitat decline. For some species, human-wildlife conflict has had a greater impact than previously perceived. Aims We aim to explore the role of human-wildlife conflict in the decline of bandicoots in New South Wales (NSW). A greater understanding of past actions and beliefs concerning bandicoots can shed light on current perceptions. Methods We examine records of interactions and perceptions of bandicoots in NSW between 1804 and 1954. We sampled 3129 records from the National Library of Australia’s online database, Trove, from multiple newspaper sources for thematic analysis. Key results Themes changed dramatically over the 150 years studied, and while there has been clear hostility to these animals, the reasons have been varied. The theme that had the longest time frame (c. 1890–1920) was the role of bandicoots as agricultural pests, but by the early 20th Century, concerns of their public health risks as tick hosts had grown to dominate discourse. Conclusions We found that humans have a long history of ambivalence and contempt towards bandicoots because of their status as agricultural pests, public health risks and nuisances. The periods of greatest persecution align with the periods of greatest decline for CWR mammals in NSW (c. 1890s – 1920s), likely additive to other threats. Implications Our study shows that humans, as predators and persecutors, have negatively impacted bandicoot populations more than previously considered. Understanding the basis for former and current beliefs regarding bandicoots will assist in mitigating continuing conflict.