Fun Yellow-footed Rock-wallaby Facts For Kids
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The yellow-footed rock-wallaby (also called a ring-tailed wallaby) is the most attractive of all 30 species of wallaby. It has a striking coloration that makes it easy to notice.
Its patterned fur is brightly colored with an overall coloration that is fawn-gray, that gets lighter on its belly.
It has a white band running down its side and a dark-brown one stretching down its back and it gets its name from its rich orange-to-yellow-colored forearms, hind legs, and feet. It ranges between 18.8-25.5 in (48-65 cm) in head-to-toe length and can be quite heavy, weighing between 15.4-28.6 lb (7-13 kg).
It belongs to the family Macropodidae and its scientific name is Petrogale xanthopus. It can be spotted on ridges, rocky outcrops, and cliffs in semi-arid regions of Queensland, New South Wales, and South Australia.
It is a herbivorous animal that feeds upon grasses as well as the leaves of shrubs and trees in its rocky habitat. Keep reading to get to know fun facts about the typical yellow-footed rock wallaby habitat, population, diet, range, and more!
If you enjoyed reading our yellow-footed rock wallaby, you must check out our agile wallaby interesting facts and tree kangaroo facts for kids!
Yellow-footed Rock-wallaby Interesting Facts
What type of animal is a yellow-footed rock-wallaby?
The yellow-footed rock-wallaby, Petrogale xanthopus, is a species of wallaby.
What class of animal does a yellow-footed rock-wallaby belong to?
This species of rock-wallaby, Petrogale xanthopus, belongs to the class Mammalia.
How many yellow-footed rock-wallabies are there in the world?
As per the IUCN, the yellow-footed rock-wallaby population size is less than 10,000 adults. There are less than 100 wallabies dwelling in New South Wales. The species is classified as Near Threatened by the IUCN.
Where does a yellow-footed rock-wallaby live?
This species of wallabies is endemic to Australia. There are scattered populations of these wallabies across New South Wales, Queensland, and South Australia. This species has faced a decline in population due to many factors, such as fragmentation of habitat, introduced species, and predators.
What is a yellow-footed rock-wallaby's habitat?
These wallabies inhabit rocky ramparts and cliff faces. They can be only found on ridges, rocky outcrops, and cliffs in semi-arid regions. These animals are nocturnal and take shelter in caves and rock crevices throughout the day.
They have been observed to come out to sunbathe sometimes. They jump around to move and have the ability to make long leaps. They can even climb tree trunks easily!
Who do yellow-footed rock-wallabies live with?
These wallabies are gregarious animals that can accumulate in groups comprising more than 100 wallabies. However, typically the groups comprise 20 wallabies or less. These groups comprise a dominant male, some sub-dominant males, and breeding females with their joeys.
How long does a yellow-footed rock-wallaby live?
These wallabies have a lifespan of 12-18 years!
How do they reproduce?
These wallabies are polygynous in nature. Male and female wallabies practice elaborate courtship rituals and they have been observed to breed all year long, and not over a specific breeding season. The gestation period of these wallabies goes on for 31-32 days.
Female wallabies can give birth to a single offspring, or twins sometimes. The newborn baby is referred to as joey.
The joey resides in the mother's pouch for 194 days and the joey stays near its mother after it leaves the pouch. It drinks its mother's milk for a while after leaving the pouch. A joey attains sexual maturity at the age of 18 months.
What is their conservation status?
Yellow-footed rock-wallabies (Petrogale xanthopus) are classified in the Near Threatened category as per the IUCN. The population of this threatened species has fallen slightly over recent years.
Yellow-footed Rock-wallaby Fun Facts
What do yellow-footed rock-wallabies look like?
They are the largest of all rock wallabies. They range between 18.8-25.5 in (48-65 cm) in head-to-toe length and are quite bulky, weighing between 15.4-28.6 lb (7-13 kg).
They have characteristic bright-colored fur that possesses a unique pattern. Their body has a fawn grey coloration overall, with a pale underside and a white band running down its side.
There is also a dark-brown colored band stretching down their back. They have rich orange to yellow-colored forearms, hind legs, and feet. Their coloration helps these wallabies to effectively camouflage.
They have long feet that have thick pads and short claws and they have a reddish-brown tail that possesses dark stripes. Females have an opening pouch in the front and females are smaller in size when compared to males.
How cute are they?
These animals are very cute. They are as adorable as kangaroos, just smaller.
How do they communicate?
As wallabies have underdeveloped vocal cords, they do not produce many sounds. However, they have been observed to make hissing sounds and grunt several times. Mothers groom their joeys and communicate with them through grunting and clucking.
How big is a yellow-footed rock-wallaby?
The yellow-footed rock wallaby is the largest rock wallaby in size when compared to all other rock wallabies. It ranges between 18.8-25.5 in (48-65 cm) in head-to-toe length. They are slightly larger than brush-tailed rock-wallabies.
How fast can a yellow-footed rock-wallaby move?
These yellow-footed rock-wallabies' strong hind legs are used to jump great heights at high speeds. They can also kick off potential predators with their powerful legs. The yellow-footed wallaby can move around mountain tops easily as it can jump as far as 12 ft (4 m) in one jump!
How much does a yellow-footed rock-wallaby weigh?
These animals range between 15.4-28.6 lb (7-13 kg) in weight.
What are their male and female names of the species?
A male of this species is referred to as a boomer or a jack, whereas a female is referred to as a jill or a roo.
What would you call a baby yellow-footed rock-wallaby?
A baby yellow-footed rock-wallaby is referred to as a joey!
What do they eat?
The diet of yellow-footed rock wallabies includes grasses and leaves. They primarily eat grasses but may also feed upon the leaves of shrubs and trees in their rocky habitat during the dry season. During the summer season, these animals have the ability to drink an astounding volume of water! Yellow-footed rock wallaby predators include wedge-tailed eagles and foxes.
Are they dangerous?
No, these animals aren't dangerous towards humans. However, they may attack if provoked.
Would they make a good pet?
Surprisingly, wallabies can be kept as pets! They can be quite expensive to maintain, but some people do take up the challenge to raise these exotic pets. However, given their Near Threatened conservation status, it is best to not keep them as pets.
Did you know...
The average yellow-footed rock wallaby size is smaller than that of kangaroos, but they look identical to them!
The wallaby's name originates from the Dharug 'waliba' or 'walabi'.
Yellow-footed rock-wallabies were hunted for their skin in the earlier times!
Yellow-footed rock-wallabies have the ability to consume an amount of water that is more than 10% of their body weight.
These wallabies are the only mammal species that make their offspring drink water through their mouth.
Why is it called a yellow-footed rock-wallaby?
This species gets its name from its brightly colored forearms, hind legs, and feet that are yellow-orange in color. The 'rock wallaby' part of their name comes from the habitat of this species as they live on rocky ramparts and cliff faces.
Why is the yellow-footed rock-wallaby endangered?
This species is listed as Near Threatened due to introduced herbivores like goats, sheep, and rabbits. This wallaby species also falls prey to wedge-tailed eagles and foxes.
Small populations of this species have been exposed to various diseases as well as wildfires. They also suffer from habitat fragmentation. As per the IUCN's Red List, only 10,000 individuals of this species remain in the world.
Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! For more relatable content, check out these red-necked wallaby surprising facts and brush-tailed rock-wallaby facts for kids!
You can even occupy yourself at home by coloring in one of our free printable yellow footed rock wallaby coloring pages!
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