How did the numbat get vulnerable?

Numbats became vulnerable with the start of European settlement, although conservation classifications were to in place at that time. The introduction of non-native species to Australia such as foxes, and feral cats and dogs, quickly caused a considerable threat to the numbat. It is a small, quite defenceless creature, only able to protect itself by hiding in hollow logs. As European settlement expanded, their habitat was cleared for industry, agriculture and expanding human habitation. Bushfires and changed fire regimes also contributed to the numbats' increasng vulnerability. Bushfires destroy the numbats' habitat, including the logs in which it shelters. Numbats are not fast-moving creatures, and they cannot escape bushfires, which can move very quickly.