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Yellow-footed rock-wallaby

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This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Will R Turner (talk | contribs) at 13:07, 1 May 2006 (pop #s are for Queensland only; predation is normal, but fox pred actually "threatens" it). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

Yellow-footed Rock-wallaby[1]
Scientific classification
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P. xanthopus
Binomial name
Petrogale xanthopus
Gray, 1855

The Yellow-footed Rock-wallaby (Petrogale xanthopus) is a member of the macropod family (the marsupial family that includes the kangaroos, wallabies, tree-kangaroos, wallaroos, and others). By some accounts, it is the inspiration for both the name and logo of the popular Yellow Tail brand of wines from New South Wales, Australia.

At least one subspecies of this nocturnal diprotodont (P. x. xanthopus) appears on the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species as Vulnerable. The subspecies is present but declining in South Australia, known from only the Gap and Cotraundee Ranges in New South Wales, and has a population of only about 5,000-10,000 in Queensland. The other subspecies (P. x. celeris) is listed at Near Threatened. This species prefers rock crevices and caves in isolated rock outcrops and ridges in semi-arid country. It is threatened by fox predation, competition with domestic and wild introduced species (particularly goats, rabbits, and sheep), and wildfires.

References

  1. ^ Groves, C. P. (2005). Wilson, D. E.; Reeder, D. M. (eds.). Mammal Species of the World: A Taxonomic and Geographic Reference (3rd ed.). Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press. p. 69. ISBN 0-801-88221-4. OCLC 62265494.