Yellow-footed Rock Wallaby

The yellow-footed rock-wallaby is one of Australia’s most striking marsupials, known for its vibrant colouring and incredible agility on rocky terrain. Its thick, soft fur is patterned with shades of grey, yellow, orange and white, with bold dark stripes across its rump and tail. As its name suggests, its feet and forearms are a golden-yellow colour, which contrast with its grey body and bushy, ringed tail.

This wallaby is a master of navigating cliffs, escarpments and rocky outcrops. Its feet have textured soles that grip onto uneven surfaces, and its long tail helps with balance as it bounds effortlessly from boulder to boulder. It lives in colonies, sheltering in rock crevices during the heat of the day and emerging in the cooler hours to feed.

Yellow-footed rock-wallabies are herbivores, grazing on grasses, herbs, shrubs and native foliage. They obtain most of the moisture they need from their food, allowing them to survive in the arid and semi-arid regions of inland Australia where surface water is scarce.

Females raise their young in a pouch for up to six months, and the joey will continue to stay close and suckle even after leaving the pouch. Breeding can occur year-round if conditions are suitable, although it is more common in spring.

Once found across large parts of central and south-eastern Australia, the yellow-footed rock-wallaby is now restricted to a few isolated populations in South Australia, western New South Wales and southwest Queensland. Threats from introduced predators like foxes and habitat loss caused by land clearing and grazing have led to a decline in numbers. However, active conservation efforts and predator control programs have helped some populations recover.