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Double-click on an image to download a larger image. |
| Featuring examples of both the grey-coloured Eastern Wallaroo, Macropus robustus robustus and the more reddish Euro, Macropus robustus erubescens |
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| Common Name: | Wallaroo | ||||||||||||||||
| Scientific Name: | Macropus robustus | ||||||||||||||||
| Family: | Macropodidae | ||||||||||||||||
| Colour: | The Wallaroo has a couple of sub-species with different colouring. Along the east coastal ranges Wallaroos, Macropus robustus robustus, are dark blue-grey. Over the rest of Australia the Euro, Macropus robustus erubescens, tends to be reddish-brown. Below, they are both buff to white in colour, with the female being paler than the male. For both forms, their hands and feet are dark, while their thick tail is darker at the tip. |
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| Form: | Wallaroos are heavy built, with coarse, thick fur. Wallaroos have large ears, but have a short muzzle. Their rhinarium, or nose is naked. | ||||||||||||||||
| Distribution: | Wallaroos are found all over Australia, except Tasmania. They occur in New South Wales, north-eastern Victoria, South Australia, Western Australia, Northern Teritory and Queensland. | ||||||||||||||||
| Habitat: | Wallaroos are found living on steep escarpments, rocky hills and stony rises. They shelter in caves or under overhanging rocks. | ||||||||||||||||
| Nests: | Swamp Wallabies do not use nests. They prefer dense moist thickets with thick cover in gullies. | ||||||||||||||||
| Food: | Wallaroos feed on grasses, shrubs, herbs, and cerial crops. Wallaroos do not need to drink every day. | ||||||||||||||||
| Predators: | Unknown. | ||||||||||||||||
| Human Influence: | Competition from introduced grazing animals, such as goats, cattle and sheep, as well as human predation has reduced Wallaroo populations. Wildlife Authorities allow controlled harvesting in some areas. | ||||||||||||||||
| Abundance: | The Wallaroo is common in its habitat. | ||||||||||||||||
| Features: | The Wallaroo is mainly nocturnal, coming out at night to feed. It is usually solitary and sedentary, chosing not to move far from its shelter. It prefers deep caves that have a high humidity and where the heat is less. Wallaroos form well-worn pathways too and from their preferred cave. | ||||||||||||||||
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webpage produced by Keith Davey 01-01-05 contact keith@keithdavey.com.au with comments |
