| The Yellow Footed Rock Wallaby, Petrogale | | | | the year. This Wallaby becomes nocturnal. It |
| xanthopus, is probably the prettiest of all the | | | | spends the day in shade on its rocky outcrop and |
| Wallabies. It has a coat of yellow, brown, white | | | | goes onto the plain to eat during the day. When |
| and black. This animal's colouring is good | | | | the weather is cooler, it will eat at the going down |
| camouflage when it is at home on its rocks in the | | | | of the sun and in the morning, and only avoid the |
| arid interior of Australia. Unfortunately, it was also | | | | hottest part of the day. |
| in demand for fur coats, and many of these | | | | Predators |
| inoffensive animals were killed. | | | | The main native predator of the Yellow Footed |
| Size | | | | Rock Wallaby was the Wedge Tailed Eagle, but |
| Wallabies are smaller than Kangaroos. (This is | | | | evidence seems to suggest that Wallabies have |
| leaving out such animals as the Tree Kangaroos | | | | never been an important part of their diet. |
| and the Rat Kangaroos). The Yellow Footed Rock | | | | Goannas may also eat the occasional Wallaby. The |
| Wallaby is generally between 6 and 12 Kilograms | | | | other predators are introduced animals. The first |
| (13 - 26 pounds) in weight. It can be about 60 | | | | one was the Dingo. This was introduced as a |
| centimetres (2 feet) high. | | | | domestic Dog several thousand years ago; it |
| Diet | | | | became feral. More recently, the Europeans have |
| The Yellow Footed Rock Wallaby eats grasses | | | | introduced Foxes for recreational hunting. Cats are |
| and other plants. It will also eat some tree and | | | | also a problem. |
| shrub leaves. The feet have excellent grip on the | | | | The Biggest Threat |
| rocks and the animal can even climb trees with | | | | The Biggest threat to this animal is the feral |
| sloping trunks. This allows it to get some of the | | | | Goats. These eat the food of the Wallabies. In |
| higher branches. It will also eat bark if nothing | | | | areas where the Goats are controlled the |
| better is available. | | | | Wallabies are doing reasonable well. |
| Water | | | | Vulnerable |
| This Wallaby needs to drink, but its water | | | | Although this animal is only listed as vulnerable, in |
| requirements are fairly low. Generally, a colony | | | | fact the numbers in the wild are declining. Without |
| needs to be within about 5 Kilometres of a water | | | | the active intervention of Humans, this species |
| source. | | | | would probably become extinct quite soon. Before |
| Heat Tolerant | | | | we came, it was a very successful animal in its |
| The areas it comes from are hot in the daytime, | | | | own habitat. |
| especially in the summer. At the hottest time of | | | | |