Petrogale brachyotis
short-eared rock wallaby

This species ranges from the Kimbereley region of Western Australia, through Arnhem Land, and then eastward along the Gulf of Carpentaria to the eastern boundary of the Australian Shield, including Groote Eylandt (Nowak, 1999; Wilson & Reeder, 1993).

Short-eared rock wallabies can be found in rocky areas or boulder-strewn outcrops, including low, rocky hills, cliffs, and gorges. These rocky areas are typically near forests, woodlands, or savannahs.

While other species of Petrogale have been threatened by introduced species, such as feral rabbits and feral goats, Petrogale brachyotis population sizes do not seem to have declined. This is due, in part, to the numerous island populations of northern Australia which have been unaffected by introduced species (Strahan, 1995; Taylor, 1984).

Petrogale brachyotis varies in total length from 830 to 1070 millimeters. Average adult size is 970 mm long.

Short-eared rock wallabies have ears that are not more than half the length of their heads, hence their name. The pelage is uniform in color dorsally and can have variable whitish margins. Pelage color ranges from light grey and almost white in western populations to dark grey and brown in eastern populations. They have an extremely long, bushy, and thickly-haired tail which is used primarily for balancing.

Short-eared rock wallabies have a well-padded hind foot, with the sole being roughly granulated. This characteristic gives these animals a secure grip on rocky surfaces, which is their primary habitat. The central hind claws of short-eared rock wallabies are short, exceeding the toe by only 2 or 3 mm. Female rock wallabies have a forward-opening pouch with four mammae (Nowak, 1999; Wilson & Reeder, 1993).

As with reproduction, little specific behavioral information is available for short-eared rock wallabies. These animals are primarily nocturnal. They may, however, come out during the day to sun themselves on rocks (Strahan, 1995; Taylor, 1984).

Short-eared rock wallabies mainly feed on grasses. In dry seasons they can live for long periods of time without water by feeding on the succulent bark and roots of various trees within their habitat (Nowak, 1999).

Short-eared rock wallabies were previously thought to be agricultural pests. It is currently understood that they pose no threat to human crops (Strahan, 1995).

Early in Australian colonization most species of rock wallabies were hunted for their soft pelts. However, this type of exploitation has declined in recent years (Strahan, 1995).

While many species of rock wallaby in Australia are threatened by continuous land development, Petrogalebrachyotis' natural island populations on the northern coast of Australia help to preserve its population. Petrogalebrachyotis is considered abundant, but is thought to be extinct in the extreme western portion of its range (Groves & Ride, 1984).