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| Quokka - Setonix brachyurus | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Dec 10 2012, 03:07 PM (2,519 Views) | |
| Elephantus | Dec 10 2012, 03:07 PM Post #1 |
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Tusker
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Quokka - Setonix brachyurus![]() Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Infraclass: Marsupialia Order: Diprotodontia Family: Macropodidae Subfamily: Macropodinae Genus: Setonix Species: Setonix brachyurus The quokka, the only member of the genus Setonix, is a small macropod about the size of a domestic cat. It is a vulnerable species, and mostly found on offshore islands, due to introduced predatory species such as foxes. Habitat The quokka is found on the small offshore islands of southwest Australia, with a small mainland colony that exists in the protected area of Two Peoples Bay Nature Reserve. It occupies a variety of habitats ranging from semi-arid scrub to cultivated gardens. Description The quokka weighs 2.5 to 5 kilograms (5.5 to 11 lb) and is 40 to 90 centimetres (16 to 35 in) long with a 25 to 30 centimetres (9.8 to 12 in) tail, which is rather short for a macropod. It has a stocky build, rounded ears, and a short, broad head. Although looking rather like a very small, dumpy kangaroo, it can climb small trees and shrubs. The coarse fur is a grizzled brown colour, fading to buff underneath. ![]() Ecology This animal lives in small family groups, dominated by adult males who form a dominance hierarchy amongst themselves. Quokkas sleep during the day in small groups amongst dense vegetation, becoming very active at night, when they gather around water holes with up to 150 other individuals. They feed on native grasses, leaves, seeds and roots, swallowing their food straight away, and later regurgitating the cud to chew it. They often dig their own water holes and can obtain water from succulent plants like cacti, though this species is in fact able to go for months without a drink, due to their remarkable ability to reuse some of their waste products. This wallaby produces one offspring per year, and while quokkas breed all year round in captivity, in the wild they only mate between January and March. After a short pregnancy of 4 weeks, a female will give birth to a single young known as a joey, which she suckles in her pouch for up to 30 weeks. By this stage the joey will have out-grown the pouch and has to leave, but will still suckle for a further 8–10 weeks, reaching maturity at around one year old and living for up to 5 years. Edited by Taipan, Dec 12 2012, 07:44 PM.
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| Scalesofanubis | Dec 10 2012, 04:35 PM Post #2 |
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Omnivore
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A slow breeder with a short life span and a small body size. That is...not a good survival strategy. |
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5:04 AM Jul 12