Wallabies and Kangaroos: Macropodidae

Physical characteristics: Bridled nail-tailed wallabies have gray fur with paler gray fur on their bellies. They have a distinctive white stripe on both sides of their body extending from neck to forearms. On the end of the tail is a horny spur, probably inspiring their name. Bridled nail-tailed wallabies range in head and body length from 18 to 28 inches (46 to 71 centimeters), with a tail length that ranges from 15 to 21 inches (38 to 53 centimeters). They have a weight that ranges from 9 to 18 pounds (4 to 8 kilograms).

Bridled nail-tailed wallabies are active at night and stay sheltered in thick vegetation during the day. (© Mitch Reardon/Photo Researchers, Inc. Reproduced by permission.)

Geographic range: Currently bridled nail-tailed wallabies have significant populations only in a few places including one location in central Queensland, two places in eastern Australia where they have been reintroduced, two sanctuaries, and a zoo.

Habitat: Bridled nail-tailed wallabies live in areas of woodlands dominated by acacia trees and shrublands.

Diet: Bridled nail-tailed wallabies are herbivores. They eat soft-leaved grasses and other vegetation.

Behavior and reproduction: Bridled nail-tailed wallabies are nocturnal. They use dense vegetation as shelter during the day. Females are pregnant for twenty-three to sixty-two days before giving birth. The young live in the pouch for 119 to 126 days.

Bridled nail-tailed wallabies and people: There is no known significant relationship between the bridled nail-tailed wallabies and people, although scientists think that they have been hunted for their meat and skins.

Conservation status: Bridled nail-tailed wallabies are considered Endangered. This means that they are facing a very high risk of extinction in the wild. Scientists think that the main threats to these wallabies are probably clearing of their habitat for agriculture, and predation by species that are not native to Australia, such as the red fox. ∎