Rothschild's rock-wallaby

The Rothschild's Rock Wallaby ( Petrogale Rothschildi ) is a pouch species from the family of kangaroos ( Macropodidae ).

Features

Rothschild rock kangaroos are among the major representatives of the rock kangaroos. The males reach an average of 6.1 kg, while the females give birth to 4.1 kg on the scales. The fur of these animals is colored gray-brown on the back, the belly is whitish- gray. The neck and shoulders are colored light gray, sometimes discolored region purple. The rear part of the long tail is black, in contrast to many other rock kangaroos no stripes on the face or on the flanks are present. As with most kangaroos hind legs long and strong and the front legs are shorter.

Distribution and habitat

These kangaroos live in Australia, their range is the Pilbara region of northern Western Australia, including offshore islands of the Dampier Archipelago. Their habitat is rocky, overgrown with thorn head grasses or eucalyptus areas.

Way of life

Rothschild rock kangaroos are nocturnal, they spend the day in caves or crevices. At night, they go in search of food, where they mainly eat grasses and herbs. Like all kangaroos they have a multi-chambered stomach for better utilization of indigestible plant food. They live in groups that can usually consist of some animals, but sometimes of up to 100 individuals. The social behavior is not well researched, presumably these are like other kangaroos rather loose associations with no permanent structures.

After about 30 days of gestation, the female gives birth to a single young is born. This spending his first six to seven months of life in the mother's pouch and is weaned with less than a year.

Endangering

Main threat to the Rothschild - wallaby is the enactment by introduced foxes, in parts of its range, it is thereby become rare. But Foxes do not consider themselves in the higher areas on where these kangaroos live, even the fox stocks were on some islands drastically reduced in order to secure the survival of this species and other native animals. The species occurs in approximately the Karijini National Park. According to IUCN, it is not at risk.