Tasmania Brush Rat Kangaroo
| Tasmania Brush Rat Kangaroo | ||||||||||||
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Tasmanian Brush Rat Kangaroo ( Bettongia gaimardi ) |
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| Bettongia gaimardi | ||||||||||||
| ( Desmarest , 1822) |
The Tasmanian brush rat kangaroo ( Bettongia gaimardi ) is a marsupial from the rat kangaroo family (Potoroidae) that occurs in eastern Tasmania and the nearby islands of Bruny Island and Maria Island . One occurrence on mainland Southeast Australia has become extinct. The population on Tasmania is classified as the subspecies Bettongia gaimardi cuniculus , while the extinct mainland population is the nominate form B. gaimardi gaimardi .
features
The Tasmanian brush rat kangaroo reaches a head body length of about 32 cm, has a 29 to 35 cm long tail and weighs 1.2 to 2.3 kg. It is gray-brown in color, partly with whitish hair tips. The belly is light gray or whitish. A light stripe is usually visible on the hips. The limbs are lighter than the back. Head and tail are rather brownish. The rear part of the tail, which is equipped with longer hair, is dark, the tip of the tail is white.
Habitat and way of life
The Tasmanian brush rat kangaroo is found in open eucalyptus and other forests, from sea level to heights of 1000 meters. The ground is usually bushy or covered with low grass. The animals are solitary and nocturnal. They spend the day in oval nests in the dry grass, between tussock grasses , bushes or under fallen tree trunks. The nests only have one opening. An individual can have up to 12 nests in its territory. The territories of the males are 47 to 85 ha, those of the females are much smaller with 38 to 63 ha. The territories of the animals overlap.
nutrition
The species feeds mainly on truffle-like mushrooms that grow underground and are dug up with their front paws. Mushrooms make up over 75% of their diet. In addition, seeds, fruits, roots, buds, plant exudates and invertebrates are eaten. When foraging for food, the Tasmanian brush rat kangaroo moves relatively fast and far. It then covers about 500 to 600 meters within 30 minutes.
Reproduction
Females have a single cub per birth and give birth up to three times a year. The gestation period is 21 to 22 days. After birth, the young animal remains in the pouch for about 3.5 months and is weaned at 5 months and sexually mature at nine to twelve months.
status
The species is classified as near threatened by the IUCN. The extinction of the nominate form living on the mainland is mainly due to the red fox ( Vulpes vulpes ) introduced by humans . The species is still quite common in Tasmania, where there are no foxes. Between 2011 and 2012, several Tasmanian brush rat kangaroos were released in 450 hectares of fenced, fox-free territory north of Canberra .
supporting documents
- ↑ a b c d e f Mark Eldridge & Greta Frankham: Family Potoroidae (Bettongs and Potoroos). Page 626 in Don E. Wilson , Russell A. Mittermeier : Handbook of the Mammals of the World - Volume 5. Monotremes and Marsupials. Lynx Editions, 2015, ISBN 978-84-96553-99-6
- ↑ Bettongia gaimardi in the endangered Red List species the IUCN 2016 Posted by: Burbidge, AA, Woinarski, J. & Johnson, CN, 2016. Accessed March 12, 2018th
