Thylogale billardierii
Tasmanian pademelon

Red-bellied Pademelons, Thylogale billardierii, are native to Australia and Tasmania, but now are only found on Tasmania. Red-bellied Pademelons were once widespread and abundant on the mainland of Australia, but they have been extinct on the mainland since the early 1900s. Red-bellied Pademelons are still abundant on Tasmania and the larger islands of Bass Strait. (Johnson and Rose, 1995)

Thylogale billardierii inhabit areas of dense vegetation, rainforest and wet forest. Thylogale billardierii will also inhabit wet gullies in dry open eucalyptus field. However, when in a clear area, they usually stay within 100 meters of forest shelter. (PBS)

Thylogale billardierii are short stocky marsupials. Adult males weigh about 7 kg, females only about 4 kg. Pademelons have a short tail and compact body that are useful for maneuvering through dense vegetation. Thylogale billardierii have soft fine fur that is dark brown to grey brown on the dorsal side (back) of the animal, and reddish brown or lighter brown on the ventral side (stomach). The males of Thylogale billardierii have a broad chest and forearms, which are factors that contribute to males being larger than females.(Parks and Wildlife Services of Tasmania)

Thylogale billaridierii are polygynandrous. Occasional clicking can be heard in males chasing after females in oestrus. Immediately after birth, the female again comes into oestrus, but the blastocyst remains in embryonic diapause.

Like other macropodids, baby Thylogale billardierii nurse in the mothers pouch after a short gestation period. In Thylogale billardierii, pouch life is six and a half months, and the young are weaned from the mothers teat around seven or eight months. Thylogale billardierii are usually sexually mature around fourteen or fifteen months. Thylogale billardierri are solitary animals that come together for mating, and will occasionally share a feeding ground.

Thylogale billardierii reproduce in captivity year round, but in the wild 70% of births are in late autumn. The gestation period is 30 days. The young makes its way into the pouch immediately after birth, and attaches itself to one of four teats. If there are other siblings, the newly born joey will choose a teat not used by a sibling.

Immediately after birth, the mother again comes into oestrus and mates. The resulting embryo develops into the blastocyst stage, and then remains in embryonic diapause. If the current joey is lost or removed, the blastocyst is developed and born 27-28 days later. If the current joey develops naturally, it will be replaced on the night he leaves the pouch by a new young resulting from the activated blastocyst(Rose et al. 1999).

The young of Thylogale billardierii are exclusively cared for by the mother, until they are weaned at around 7 months. (Rose et al 1999)

The lifespan of Thylogale billardierri is around 5-6 years in the wild. There is unsufficient data for the lifespan in captivity. (PBS)

Thylogale billardierii are mainly solitary animals that come together for mating and occasionally for feeding. There is no evidence however, that any further connection between individuals persists. Thylogale billardierii travel to a feeding spot (sometimes as far away as 2km) each evening at dusk and return to a bedding spot each morning. Daytime feeding is extremely rare. As many as ten individuals may come together for feeding; however, they scatter immediately when they sense danger. (Parks and Wildlife Services of Tasmania)

Thylogale billardierii mainly eat short green grasses and herbs, and they occasionally eat taller woody plants. Thylogale billardierii are nocturnal and feed at night close to the protection of the forest. (PBS)

Thylogale billardierii has a soft, fine fur that is valuable to humans. The meat of Thylogale billardierii has little fat, and is palatable to humans. Thylogale billardierii only inhabit Tasmania, this fact has added increased interest in tourism. (Stranham)

Thylogale billardierii avidly eat brush and foilage, sometimes competing with the livestock of Tasmanian farmers. This has been controlled recently by the installation of electric fences. (Statham 1994)

Even though Thylogale billardierii is currently very abundant and widespread in Tasmania. The species is harvested each year to ensure that the numbers remain controlled and abundant.(PBS)