kultarr is predominantly insectivorous, its diet consisting largely of species including spiders, cockroaches, crickets and beetles. Additionally, kultarrs are also known to prey on other species of dasyurids. The digestive tract of the kultarr has been described, as have the digestibilities of captive feeding regimes, and the rates of passage of different dietary items through their digestive tracts. Habitat The kultarr occupies a range of different habitats preferring sparsely vegetated areas. Habitats include claypans, gibber plains, stony deserts, savannas, hummock (Triodia sp.) and tussock grasslands, woodlands and shrublands. Regional variation in habitat preference occurs with the western subspecies preferring stony, granite plains dominated by Acacia, Eremophila, and Cassia species. Eastern subspecies prefer sparsely vegetated clay pans in acacia woodlands. Torpor as an adaptation The kultarr is an Endotherm having a high metabolic rate, to conserve energy the kultarr enters into a state of torpor where the body temperature is reduced similar to hibernation. The body temperature drops to 11 °C reducing the metabolic rate by 30% conserving energy and reducing water loss. Torpor occurs in the evening-early morning, lasting between 2–16 hours. Species that enter torpor are referred to as heterothermic endotherms. Other species of Dasyriuds in arid Australia use torpor and is an adaptation to combat limited resource availability. The benefits of torpor include having an extended lifetime; this is advantageous in the harsh arid environment enabling recovery of populations after stochastic weather events such as flooding or drought. Torpor is also used during the breeding season to ensure breeding success even during poor seasons. Threats to survival Habitat degradation Changes in land management practices since European settlement has resulted in catastrophic declines of terrestrial fauna species throughout arid Australia. Habitat degradation occurs through overgrazing by introduced species such as rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus), sheep (Ovis aries), and cattle (Bos taurus). Cattle can trample and destroy vegetation, damaging soil structure and reducing deep cracks that reduces nesting and shelter sites for the kultarr. Predation by cats and foxes Kultarrs are threatened by introduced predators such feral cats (Felis catus) and red foxes (Vulpes vulpes). Good rainfall results in ecosystem pulses in arid regions, allowing predators to increase their numbers, therefore predation on kultarrs increases. Kultarrs are also predated by native species such as native owls and snakes. However cats differ from native predators as they are recreational hunters and continue to prey on species even when prey numbers are low.