Variable rock kangaroo
| Variable rock kangaroo | ||||||||||||
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Variable rock kangaroo ( Petrogale assimilis ) |
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| Scientific name | ||||||||||||
| Petrogale assimilis | ||||||||||||
| Ramsay , 1877 |
The variable rock kangaroo ( Petrogale assimilis ) is a species of the rock kangaroo ( Petrogale ) genus .
features
These kangaroos are medium-sized representatives of the rock kangaroos, with 4.7 kilograms the males are slightly heavier than the females, which reach 4.3 kilograms. As with most kangaroos, the hind legs are stronger and larger than the front legs, and the tail is long and muscular. Their fur is gray-brown on the upper side, the belly is sandy brown. The paws and feet are dark, and the tail becomes darker towards the tip. In some individuals, inconspicuous light stripes on the cheeks or a stripe on the back are visible.
distribution and habitat
The variable rock kangaroo lives in Australia , its range includes parts of the state of Queensland , for example near Townsville . They can also be found on barrier islands such as Magnetic Island and Great Palm Island . Their habitat are rocky areas, some with forests.
Way of life
These kangaroos are nocturnal animals that seek shelter in crevices or under overhangs during the day. They inhabit areas of 9 to 11 hectares, which become larger during the dry season. They often live in pairs, the partners also go looking for food together. Their diet consists mainly of grasses.
After a gestation period of around 31 days, the female usually gives birth to a single young. This spends its first six to seven months of life in the mother's pouch.
Danger
There are no known major threats to the variable rock kangaroo. In some places the conversion of their habitat into pastureland and the reenactment by introduced cats could pose a threat, but overall the species is widespread and, according to the IUCN, is not an endangered species.
literature
- Ronald Nowak: Walker's Mammals of the World. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore 1999, ISBN 0-8018-5789-9
Web links
- Information at Animal Diversity Web
- Information and photo at rootourism.com
- Petrogale assimilis onthe IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . Retrieved May 27, 2009.