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Parma wallaby
Macropus parma
Identifying Features
- An Australian marsupial; one of the smaller wallaby species.
- Has rich brown fur.
- Has very powerful hindquarters.
- Weighs 5 1/2 to 13 pounds.
Range and Habitat
- Found in New South Wales and has been introduced on an island near New
Zealand.
- Prefers moist forests and dense vegetation.
Diet
- Herbivores, mainly grazes.
- Might dig for roots or water.
Reproduction
- Gestation is about 35 days.
- Newborn makes its way from the birth canal to the females's pouch where
it will remain for 7 to 8 months.
- It is not uncommon for a female to give birth to a second offspring
while the first offspring is still nursing.
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Did you know?
»» The parma wallaby is the most nocturnal of the wallaby species.
»» The tail acts as a rudder that balances the animal when leaping and as a third leg when sitting.
»» It has the longest tail length relative to its body size of all wallaby species. Its tail is 99
percent as long as its body.
»» The parma's ears can be rotated independently.
»» The parma wallaby is usually solitary.
Conservation
»» The parma wallaby is the most endangered of the
wallaby species. In 1980 it was classified as an endangered animal by the U.S. Department of the Interior.
»» The parma wallaby is threatened mostly by habitat destruction. |
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