Parmawallaby

Parma Wallaby with young animal in the zoo Salzburg

The Parma Wallaby or Parma kangaroo ( Macropus parma) is a Känguruart from the sub-genre of wallabies ( Notamacropus ). The kind that is among the smallest representatives of the wallabies, had been held for several decades to be extinct before it was "rediscovered" in the 1960s.

Features

Parmawallabys among the smallest representatives of the kangaroos, they reach a body length 45-53 cm and a tail length of 40 to 55 centimeters. The weight varies from 3.2 to 5.9 kg, the males are much larger and heavier than the females. As with most kangaroos, the hind legs are much longer and stronger than the front legs. Their fur is reddish or gray-brown on the top, the bottom is light gray. Characteristic are the white throat, a white cheek-stripe and a darker back stripes.

Distribution and habitat

Parmawallabys inhabit a small area in the Great Dividing Range in the Australian state of New South Wales. Their habitat are predominantly lined with sclerophyllous vegetation mountain countries with dense undergrowth up to 900 meters above sea level. More rarely they are also found in eucalyptus forests or humid habitats. A small, introduced population lives on the island belonging to New Zealand Kawau.

Way of life

These Kangaroos are shy, mainly crepuscular or nocturnal animals. They live solitary, usually, but sometimes find yourself on the short-lived groups without a pronounced social structure together. As with most kangaroo species no territorial behavior is pronounced. Parma kangaroos are herbivores, feeding on grasses and herbs.

Reproduction

The mating season is from March to July, then the female gives birth after 35 -day gestation period, a single young is born. As with many other kangaroo species it comes to delayed birth: shortly after birth, the female mates again, but the neugezeugte embryo grows only zoom once the old cub is weaned or dies. In this way they can ensure a rapid birth order.

The cub spent the first 30 weeks of life in the mother's pouch, where it is suckled by a further ten weeks it is weaned and independent. Sexual maturity occurs at 16 to 24 months.

Life expectancy in the wild is estimated at six to eight years, in captivity they can be eleven to 15 years old.

Parma kangaroos and people

The shy animals were first spotted in the 1840s by Europeans and scientifically described. Never were seen as often and as of the end of the 19th century there were no more sightings, so they have already been considered extinct.

In 1965 the species was on New Zealand's Kawau Island, which is also inhabited by Derbywallabys rediscovered. Man held this population for the sole survivor, and several animals were brought to Australia in the hope that they breed in captivity and reintroduced to again. In 1967 it was found that there still are wild populations in Australia itself. In the meantime, a few scattered populations of this species have been discovered in the Great Dividing Range. By protecting a portion of their range, the numbers of individuals are on the rise, the IUCN lists the species now considered " low risk" ( near threatened ).