Swamp wallaby
| Swamp wallaby | ||||||||||||
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Swamp wallaby ( Wallabia bicolor ) |
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| Systematics | ||||||||||||
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| Scientific name of the genus | ||||||||||||
| Wallabia | ||||||||||||
| Trouessart , 1905 | ||||||||||||
| Scientific name of the species | ||||||||||||
| Wallabia bicolor | ||||||||||||
| ( Desmarest , 1804) |
The swamp wallaby ( Wallabia bicolor ) is a species of marsupial from the kangaroo family (Macropodidae). It has some peculiarities in its physique and mode of reproduction and is therefore not classified in the genus Macropus like the other wallabies , but in its own genus, Wallabia .
description
Swamp wallabies are characterized by their long, rough fur, which has a typical color: the back and head are reddish brown, the belly orange and the flanks sometimes black. It is characterized by a white stripe of the face that extends from the mouth to the ear. As with most kangaroos, their physique is characterized by their long, powerful tail, muscular hind legs and short front legs. The animals reach a head body length of 67 to 85 cm, a tail length of 64 to 86 cm and a weight of 10 to 20 kg, with males being significantly heavier than females.
distribution and habitat
Swamp wallabies are common in eastern and southeastern Australia, their range extends from eastern Queensland to Victoria and eastern South Australia . Contrary to what their name suggests, these animals live not only in swamps and mangrove forests , but also in forests and open grasslands.
Way of life
Swamp wallabies are nocturnal loners. They inhabit a fixed territory, but show no territorial behavior; Many animals can meet at suitable feeding places. Their locomotion is often a gentle hop with the head bowed low, while eating they also move on all fours. They are herbivores that feed on grass, leaves, and tree bark.
Reproduction
Females have a pouch with four teats open to the front. After a gestation period of around 33 to 38 days, a single young is usually born. A special feature of these animals is that the female mates again three to seven days before birth. The newly created embryo remains in the uterus, but does not grow until the older young animal is weaned or dies. With this delayed birth, the animals ensure a rapid birth sequence; This means that offspring can be born every eight months. Young animals spend eight to nine months in the pouch and become sexually mature at around 15 months. Life expectancy is estimated at a maximum of 15 years.
threat
Although the marsh wallaby's habitat has been reduced somewhat by human interference, they are still common and widespread. They are not endangered species.
The species is kept four times in Germany.
supporting documents
literature
- Ronald M. Nowak: Walker's Mammals of the World. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore 1999, ISBN 0-8018-5789-9 .
Web links
- Wallabia bicolor in the Red List of Threatened Species of the IUCN 2006. Posted by: Australasian Marsupial & Monotreme Specialist Group, 2000. Retrieved on 12 May, 2006.