Yellow-footed Rock-wallaby

(Petrogale xanthopus xanthopus and P. xanthopus celeris)

wallaby

Natural History

Formerly called the “Ring-tailed Rock-wallaby” this small to medium sized wallaby to about 6-11 kg inhabits the arid and semi arid zones of inland South Australia, New South Wales and South West Qld. Their preferred habitat is rocky and boulder-strewn hills and ranges with close adjacent pasture areas.

The tail is longer than the body, adults averaging 600mm (head and body) with an average 690mm tail. It lives for 12-18 years. Colouration is striking, back is a fawn/greyish with a dark grey/brown stripe down the centre of the head and back, white and rufous on the belly. The Tail is rufous/yellow becoming ringed with rufous brown and grey, slightly bushy and brown or even white at the end. White blazes on cheek, flank stripe and haunches. Limbs and ears are rufous paws becoming dark grey at the extremities. This multi-colour pattern results in it being called the “prettiest” of wallabies.

They mate all year round with breeding rate mainly dependant on food and water supply. Gestation period is one month and the joey will remain with its mother for 8 months spending more time out of the pouch as it gets older. As with all macropods they can have an embryo in stasis in the uterus that will not develop until the older joey is weaned. This adaptation to drought allows them to quickly give birth to another joey when conditions improve.

Distribution

Their Decline and Present Distribution

Once widespread in the NSW, SA and SW Qld inland this animal was widely shot for its beautiful fur in the late 1800s and early 1900s. Skins were used domestically and exported. This and grazing of sheep was the main cause of its present restricted distribution.

Because of its preference for shelter areas of rocky hills with access to good grazing areas nearby it suffered greatly from competition by rabbits, and stock, particularly sheep and cattle grazing. When goats became abundant competition increased as goats also exploit the same habitat and compete for rocky resting and breeding shelter. Fox predation on the young and competition from goats remain as its major threat.

The present distribution is scattered isolated populations in rocky ranges including the Flinders, Gammon and Olary Ranges in SA, two small colonies in Mootawingee NP and Cotaurundee NR in NSW north of Broken Hill and in some small populations in SW Qld.

The NSW colonies were “rediscovered” in the 1960’s after having been pronounced virtually extinct in NSW.

Genetic studies have shown significant mtDNA differences between colonies widely separated by unsuitable habitat but similarities where colonies are separated by only small distances of 10klm or so. The SW Qld population is recognised as a separate subspecies (P. xanthopus celeris) to the NSW and SA populations (Petrogale xanthopus xanthopus). These genetic races are considered worthy of separate preservation.

The Future

The animal is considered endangered as a result of its specialised habitat needs, its habit of grouping together in relatively small areas, and its consequent exposure to catastrophic events such as drought and fire.

Happily, the elimination of hunting as the major threat, and control programs, particularly for goats and foxes have seen steady increases in its population since the 1990s. It has benefited also from the timely introduction of captive breeding as a method of increasing numbers for re-introduction into the wild. Numbers are now up to about 4,000 animals in the wild.

Waterfall Springs maintains a healthy group of Yellow-Foots. Their placid and easily tamed nature is suited to hand rearing. Apart from participating in breeding programs to maintain gene pool and numbers Yellow Foot females are used in the cross fostering program to accelerate the breeding of the more endangered Central and Victorian Brush-tailed Rock-wallaby.