soils that are easy to dig in for the underground roots and fungi that it eats. Home-range sizes of the long-nosed potoroo vary considerably; the largest recorded was . In Tasmania, large overlapping home ranges of have been recorded, with males typically acquiring more land than females. Home ranges in Victoria, however, are much smaller. Life history and behaviour Generally, the long-nosed potoroo is solitary and has only been observed in brief encounters for mating and when with young. There have also been reports of several males and females feeding in loose aggregations. These mammals are non-territorial and frequently have overlapping home ranges. The male's home range can overlap many females', but the female's home range is usually exclusive, allowing the female access to the male year round. Breeding, however, usually occurs from late winter to early summer. Females are polyestrous and can have up to two reproductive sessions per year. The long-nosed potoroo is nocturnal, spending much of its time within the shelter of understorey vegetation. It uses long, slightly curved claws on its front feet to dig up its food. It is an omnivore and eats underground fruiting bodies of fungi, roots, fruit, flowers, seeds, and insects and their larvae. Fungi are the main dietary component, and are a very important resource in the potoroo's diet, with at least 50 species consumed depending on seasonal variation. During the fall and winter months, potoroos primarily consume fungi and seeds, while in the spring and summer months, the amount of arthropods, plant tissue, fruits, and flowers consumed increases. The long-nosed potoroo sniffs the ground with a side to side motion near the vicinity of food. Once the long-nosed potoroo has located a possible food source (with its sense of smell), it positions itself to begin excavating with its forepaws. Because it eats fungi, it spreads fungal spores in its droppings. Some of these fungi grow on the roots of native plants and assist the plant in the uptake of nutrients from the soil. Threatening processes The long-nosed potoroo was one of the first marsupials to be described by European settlers. Unfortunately, these encounters were followed by the clearing of much of its habitat for grazing and other land uses. Threats to the long-nosed potoroo include feral cats, wild dogs, red foxes, human settlement, and fragmentation for agriculture, livestock grazing, habitat degradation, habitat clearance/loss, and inappropriate fire regimes. The pattern of