Banded Hare-wallaby
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| Lagostrophus fasciatus (Péron & Lesueur, 1807) |
The Banded Hare-wallaby (Lagostrophus fasciatus) is a marsupial that is currently found on the Islands of Bernier and Dorre off western Australia. It is the only species in the genus Lagostrophus and in the subfamily Sthenurinae. Although the Banded Hare-wallaby was once found across the south-western portion of Australia, it is believed to have been extinct on the mainland since 1963, and the last recorded evidence of the Banded Hare-wallaby on the Australian mainland was in 1906. It is possible that the devastation of the species can be attributed to the loss of habitat to the clearing of vegetation, the loss of food (due to competition with other animals), and predators.
The Banded Hare-wallaby is nocturnal and tends to live in groups at nesting sites; this species is quite social. Nesting occurs in thickets under very dense brush. This macropod prefers to live in Acacia ligulata scrub. Males are extremely aggressive. The average Banded Hare-wallaby weighs 1.7kg, with females weighing more than males. It measures about 800mm from the head to the end of the tail, with the tail almost the same length (averaging 375mm) as the body. The Banded Hare-wallaby has a short nose. Long, grey fur is speckled with yellow and silver and fades into a light grey on the underbelly. There is no color variation on the face or head, the coloring is solid grey. Dark, horizontal stripes of fur start at the middle of the back and stop at the base of the tail.
This diprotodont is a vegetarian and receives most of its water from food. This species prefers to eat various grasses, fruit, and other vegetation. Male aggression is usually brought out in competition for food with other males and is very rarely expressed toward females.
Mating season starts in December and ends in September. The Banded Hare-wallaby reachs maturity at one year of age, breeding usually starts in the second year. Gestation appears to last several months and mothers generally raise one young each year, although it is possible for females to produce two young per year. Young remain in their mother's pouch for six months and continue to be weaned for another three months. In situations where a mother's young dies, some mothers have an extra embryo to possibly rear another.
[edit] References
- Australasian Marsupial & Monotreme Specialist Group (1996). Lagostrophus fasciatus. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 11 May 2006. Listed as Vulnerable (VU D2 v2.3)
- Animal Info - Banded Hare Wallaby
- australianfauna.com: Banded Hare Wallaby page
- Groves, Colin (16 November 2005). Wilson, D. E., and Reeder, D. M. (eds): Mammal Species of the World, 3rd edition, Johns Hopkins University Press, 59. ISBN 0-801-88221-4.
