Mammal bottoms can be patterned for a variety of reasons—as camouflage, as a social aid to identify mates or herds, even as an insect deterrent.

Thylacines, more affectionately known as Tasmanian Tigers, were given their nickname for the tiger-like stripes over the rear of their bodies. Yet their likeness to tigers pretty much ends there. Thylacines were shy animals that hunted small marsupials, rodents and birds. They employed stamina hunting (chasing prey to exhaustion) over stealth or ambush.

Two thousand years ago, Thylacines were widespread over Australia’s mainland, but in modern times were only found in Tasmania. By the time Thylacines were protected in 1936, their species had already been all but decimated by hunters and farmers. Only two months after they were granted protection status, the last known Thylacine died at a zoo in Hobart.

Koalas have a particularly hard bottom with white specks on the fur that help them camouflage in the trees. Their rump has a dense, inbuilt cushion that is well suited to sitting on firm branches for long periods of time. Koalas in southern Australia have thicker and darker grey fur than Koalas in northern areas.

Koalas do not have an external tail, yet their skeletal structure reveals traces of a tail that would have been more prominent in their evolutionary past. Even without a tail, Koalas have an incredible sense of balance, strong limbs, and particularly powerful thigh muscles that help them climb.

The Giant Armadillo is the largest species of Armadillo alive today! Adults in the wild can weigh up to 54kg.

Armadillos are the only mammals that wear an armoured shell, which is made of bone and covers the top of the animal and their rear. They are found in much of northern South America east of the Andes and live in large burrows. They have huge, strong claws for digging and breaking open delicious termite mounds.

There are twenty varieties of Armadillos. All have poor eyesight and use their keen sense of smell to hunt at night. Some species mark their territories with a characteristic odour secreted from a scent gland located at the base of their tail.