Ring-tailed rock-wallaby
The yellow-footed rock-wallaby (Petrogale xanthopus ), formerly known as the ring-tailed rock-wallaby, is a member of the macropod family (the marsupial family that includes the kangaroos, wallabies, tree-kangaroos, and wallaroos).
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NocturnalNocturnality is an animal behavior characterized by being active during the night and sleeping during the day. The common adjective is "nocturnal",...
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HerbivoreA herbivore is an animal anatomically and physiologically adapted to eating plant material, for example, foliage, for the main component of its die...
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TerrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
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JumpingJumping (saltation) can be distinguished from running, galloping, and other gaits where the entire body is temporarily airborne by the relatively l...
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AltricialAltricial animals are those species whose newly hatched or born young are relatively immobile. They lack hair or down, are not able to obtain food ...
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GrazingGrazing is a method of feeding in which a herbivore feeds on plants such as grasses, or other multicellular organisms such as algae. In agriculture...
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BrowsingBrowsing is a type of herbivory in which an herbivore (or, more narrowly defined, a folivore) feeds on leaves, soft shoots, or fruits of high-growi...
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ViviparousAmong animals, viviparity is the development of the embryo inside the body of the parent. The term 'viviparity' and its adjective form 'viviparous'...
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PolygynyPolygyny is a mating system in which one male lives and mates with multiple females but each female only mates with a single male.
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Not a migrantAnimals that do not make seasonal movements and stay in their native home ranges all year round are called not migrants or residents.
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starts withThe largest rock-wallaby, this animal is distinguished from other species of the genus by bright color of its fur as well as distinctive patterning. The overall color of its body is fawn grey. The underside is pale, exhibiting a white colored band, stretching down the side. The feet, hind legs and forearms of the Yellow-footed rock wallaby vary in color from a rich orange to yellow. As a matter of fact, bright coloration of this animal serves as a camouflage against the patterns of light and shadow that falls on the red rocks, which are the natural habitat of this animal.
This wallabies are endemic only to Australia, where the animals live in scattered populations throughout the states of South Australia, New South Wales and Queensland. The Yellow-footed rock-wallabies usually occur on rocky outcrops in semi-arid areas, staying close to a constant source of water.
The wallabies are sociable animals, known to form groups of more than 100 individuals. However, regular number of their groups is usually less than 20 wallabies, including multiple breeding females with their young, the dominant male and a few sub-dominant males. The dominant male drives young males out of the colony site, whereas young females usually stay there. Yellow-footed rock-wallabies are likely to be nocturnal, remaining hidden in rock crevices and caves during the daytime hours and sometimes coming out for sunbathing. In addition, some individuals in captivity are known to be active by day. They move around by jumping from rock to rock, making long leaps of up to 4 meters. They are also capable of climbing up tree trunks and even steep faces of rocky cliffs.
The usual diet of this herbivorous wallaby consists of grasses. During periods of drought, the animal mainly consumes leaves of trees and shrubs.
These wallabies have polygynous mating system, where male individuals compete with each other for their mating rights. Mating males and females practice olfactory courtship ritual. The Yellow-footed rock-wallabies do not have any specific mating season. However, the number of births appears to be higher during increased availability of food, which occurs at rainfall. Gestation period lasts for 31 - 32 days, yielding a single baby, sometimes twins. The newborn baby lives for around 194 days in the pouch of its mother. The young remains close to its mother for 7 - 10 days after leaving the pouch in order to return in case of danger. It continues to eat maternal milk for a few months after coming out of the pouch, but is physically on its own. Sexual maturity is reached by 18 months old.
One of the major concerns to the population of this Near Threatened species is competition rabbits, sheep, goats and other introduced herbivores. The animals are also prey species for foxes and occasionally, for wedge-tailed eagles. The Yellow-footed rock-wallabies (especially small populations) are nowadays exposed to wildfires and outbreaks of various diseases. In addition, these wallabies suffer from fragmentation of their natural habitat.
According to the IUCN Red List, the total population size of the Yellow-footed rock-wallaby is less than 10,000 mature individuals, including 6,000 individuals, currently living in South Australia, as well as less than 100 individuals in New South Wales. This species is presently classified as Near Threatened (NT) on the IUCN Red List.
Social animals are those animals that interact highly with other animals, usually of their own species (conspecifics), to the point of having a rec...