quokka
Conservation status
Vulnerable (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Infraclass: Marsupialia
Order: Diprotodontia
Family: Macropodidae
Subfamily: Macropodinae
Genus: Setonix
Lesson, 1842
Species: S. brachyurus
Characteristics:
Length: 24 inches
Plus a Tail: 14 inches
Weight: 11 pounds
Once widely distributed throughout the whole of southern Australia, the quokka now exists only in a colony of several thousand individuals living on Rottnest Island, which has been transformed into a reserve. As a grass eater, it was unable to compete successfully for its food when rabbits were imported into Australia by Europeans.
Like the rodents of desert regions, the quokka refreshes itself by licking moisture from the fur on its chest and forelegs. It avoids the sun as much as possible and stays in thickly wooded country, where it makes tunnels and passages in the high grass. Unfortunately, the quokka's grazing destroys the young shoots of grass, which prevents the growth of the ground cover that the animal needs. This poses a serious problem on the little island where the quokka population is increasing rapidly.
Like the other wallabies, its young is tiny (less than an ounce) at birth, and spends six months in its mother's marsupial pouch.
Conservation status
Vulnerable (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Infraclass: Marsupialia
Order: Diprotodontia
Family: Macropodidae
Subfamily: Macropodinae
Genus: Setonix
Lesson, 1842
Species: S. brachyurus
Characteristics:
Length: 24 inches
Plus a Tail: 14 inches
Weight: 11 pounds
Once widely distributed throughout the whole of southern Australia, the quokka now exists only in a colony of several thousand individuals living on Rottnest Island, which has been transformed into a reserve. As a grass eater, it was unable to compete successfully for its food when rabbits were imported into Australia by Europeans.
Like the rodents of desert regions, the quokka refreshes itself by licking moisture from the fur on its chest and forelegs. It avoids the sun as much as possible and stays in thickly wooded country, where it makes tunnels and passages in the high grass. Unfortunately, the quokka's grazing destroys the young shoots of grass, which prevents the growth of the ground cover that the animal needs. This poses a serious problem on the little island where the quokka population is increasing rapidly.
Like the other wallabies, its young is tiny (less than an ounce) at birth, and spends six months in its mother's marsupial pouch.
