Long-footed potoroo
| Long-footed potoroo | ||||||||||||
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| Systematics | ||||||||||||
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Potorous longipes | ||||||||||||
| Seebeck & Johnston , 1980 |
The long-footed potoroo ( Potorous longipes ), also known as the long-footed rabbit kangaroo , is a marsupial from the rat kangaroo family (Potoroidae) that occurs in four separate populations in southeastern Australia. It lives in eastern Gippsland and the Barry Mountains in northeast Victoria and in the South-East Forest National Park and in the Yambulla State Forest in southeastern New South Wales .
Appearance
The long-footed potoroo is a relatively large rabbit kangaroo and reaches a body length of 38 to 41.5 cm, has a 31.5 to 32.5 cm long tail and weighs 1.6 to 2.2 kg. The animals are colored gray-brown on the back and light gray on the belly. Cheeks, front paws and feet are gray. The ears are small and rounded and densely hairy on the back. The tail is relatively thick and only sparsely hairy. The underside of the tail is lighter than the top.
Habitat and way of life
The long-footed potoroo lives in temperate, evergreen wet forests and in gallery forests with dense undergrowth at heights of 100 to 1100 meters above sea level. The soil moisture in the habitat is very high all year round. The animals are solitary and crepuscular. Long-footed potoroos spend the day alone or in pairs in hiding places in bushes or under tree trunks. The territories of the males are 16 to 65 ha in size, those of the females are significantly smaller with 14 to 43 ha. The main activity time is around sunset and before sunrise. The species feeds mainly on truffle-like mushrooms that grow underground and are dug up with their front paws. Mushrooms make up 80 to over 90% of their diet. It also eats seeds, fruits, leaves, plant stems and invertebrates. Little is known about reproduction. After birth, the young animal remains in the pouch for about 5 months and after weaning it remains in the mother's territory until one year of age. Females and males become sexually mature at 2 years of age. A female can have two to three young a year.
Danger
The long-footed potoroo is classified by the IUCN as endangered (Vulnerable). It only has a small, highly fragmented habitat, which, however, largely comprises various protected areas. The total population of the species is estimated at a few hundred to a few thousand animals. An attempt to increase the population of the long-footed potoroo by breeding was not successful. The main threats to the species are red foxes and feral dogs.
supporting documents
- ↑ a b c d Mark Eldridge & Greta Frankham: Family Potoroidae (Bettongs and Potoroos). Page 627 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
- ↑ Potorous longipes in the endangered Red List species the IUCN 2016 Posted by: Woinarski, J. & Burbidge, AA, 2014. Accessed March 15, 2018th