Австралияның шағын жыртқыш сүтқоректісі – ковари

Species of marsupial

The kowari (Dasyuroides byrnei), also known by its Diyari name kariri, is a small carnivorous marsupial native to the gibber deserts of central Australia. It is the sole member of the genus Dasyuroides. Other names for the species include brush tailed marsupial rat, bushy tailed marsupial rat, kawiri, Kayer rat, and Byrne's crest tailed marsupial rat.

The kowari is most readily distinguished from its closest relatives, the mulgaras, by having a thick, bushy brush of black hairs fully encircling the end of its tail. Head body length is for males and for females, with both sexes having tails long. Its range is declining, and it is now extinct in the Northern Territory. Most animals of equal or smaller size to the kowari may be considered prey if the opportunity arises, including birds. Kowaris kill with strong bites to the head, although they do not always strike the optimal location. Once weaned, the young will live independently. Wild kowari lifespans average little more than a year, although some have been known to live and breed for two years in the wild, or longer in captivity. Much of its remaining range is currently run as pastoral land for the production of beef. In Queensland, it is protected in both the Astrebla Downs and Diamantina National Parks, although it has not been seen in Diamantina National Park since 2012. In South Australia, none of its current range falls under conservation tenement, though a predator free reserve of 12,000 hectares has been set up near Andamooka Station where 12 kowaris were transferred to from around the Birdsville Track in 2022.

The kowari's primary threat is habitat degradation, particularly by livestock, but also rabbits.