Northern nail kangaroo
| Northern nail kangaroo | ||||||||||||
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Northern nail kangaroo ( Onychogalea unguifera ) |
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| Onychogalea unguifera | ||||||||||||
| ( Gould , 1841) |
The northern nail kangaroo ( Onychogalea unguifera ) is a species of marsupial from the kangaroo family (Macropodidae).
features
Northern nail kangaroos reach a head body length of up to 70 centimeters, in addition there is a tail up to 73 centimeters long. Their weight is 5 to 9 kilograms, with the males becoming larger and heavier than the females. As with most kangaroos, the hind legs are significantly longer and stronger than the front legs. The tail is long and muscular and, like all nail kangaroos, has a small, nail-like spur. Their fur is dense and soft; in contrast to the two other nail kangaroo species, it is beige to sand-colored on the upper side, the underside is whitish. A dark eel line runs along the back , along with indistinct white stripes on the face and in the hip region.
Distribution and way of life
Northern nail kangaroos are native to northern Australia , their range includes northern Western Australia , the northern Northern Territory and the northern part of Queensland . The habitat of these animals are open woodlands or scrubland with trees, they also occur in coastal areas with myrtle heather thickets.
Little is known about the way these kangaroos live. They are crepuscular or nocturnal and spend the day in a low nest or hidden in the vegetation. When moving, they hold their front legs outwards and turn them while hopping, which has earned them the English name " organ grinder " ( barrel organ player ). They live mostly solitary, but sometimes up to four animals come together in search of food. Their diet consists of grasses and herbs.
Danger
In contrast to the other two species of nailed kangaroo, the population of the northern nailed kangaroo has not declined significantly since the Europeans colonized Australia. In the southern part of their range they have disappeared in areas due to the hunted by the introduced foxes , but overall the species is considered to be widespread and is not threatened according to the IUCN .
The species is not kept in Europe, former owners are Frankfurt and Cologne.
literature
- Ronald M. Nowak: Mammals of the World . Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore 1999. ISBN 0-8018-5789-9
supporting documents
Web links
- Onychogalea unguifera onthe IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . Retrieved May 15, 2009.