Antilopine Wallaroo (Macropus antilopinus)
Family: Macropodidae (Kangaroos and Wallabies) [Marsupials]
Class: Mammals
National Status: not threatened State Status: not threatened
DESCRIPTION :
The Antilopine Wallaroo is a slender, long-limbed member of the Euro-Wallaroo group and is the largest macropod found in the savannah woodlands of northern Australia. It is different to other wallaroos in that it is a gregarious species; all other species of wallaroo are solitary. The species is typically reddish-tan in colour with pale, near-white fur below. Females tend to be smaller and paler than the males with their forequarters ranging from grey to reddish tan. Adults measure 1.5 to 1.9m (head-body length of 805 to 1064 mm, tail length of 692 to 815mm) and typically weigh between 17.5 – 37 kg. Interestingly, male Antilopine Wallaroos have a distinct swelling of the nose above the nostrils that is presumed to assist with cooling when panting.
DISTRIBUTION :
The species fills an ecological niche occupied by Eastern and Western Grey Kangaroos in southern Australia and red kangaroos in the arid interior. Consequently, it is similar to these species, both in appearance and behaviour. A scientific study in northern Australia found that the distribution and abundance of the species at broad scales was controlled by the availability of permanent water, frequency of late-season fires, geology and land management. At finer scales, habitat structure was important also.
HABITAT :
Antilopine Wallaroos can be found across northern Australia, and naturally inhabit the monsoonal tropical woodlands of Arnhem Land, Cape York and the northern Kimberley. They enjoy the open woodlands of the north, particularly where perennial grasses are in abundance. The species can also be found co-existing with Euros and Black Wallaroos in areas containing rocky areas and escarpments.
GENERAL INFORMATION :
Antilopine Wallaroos are gregarious and can be seen in groups of up to 30 individuals; however they are most commonly seen in ones or twos. During the dry season they tend to take shelter from the heat under shady trees and rocks, typically near waterholes. Once the sun begins to set, the species explores the countryside in search of grasses, which form the vast majority of its diet. The species is known to take advantage of areas burnt during the dry season, where fresh green shoots provide a plentiful food source. Information regarding breeding in wild populations of Antilopine Wallaroo is scant. Recent research has found that births tend to occur in the summer months (i.e. between February and March), with most pouch young vacating the pouch at the beginning of the wet season (around November and December), presumably to take advantage of the abundance of feed during this time.
Population densities of between 11.4 and 30.9 individuals were noted during the wet season in a study near Darwin, with these numbers dropping to between 8.8 and 19 individuals during the dry.