Little is known regarding communication or perception in this species.
Perception Channels: visual ; tactile ; chemical
Though discovered in 1976, Petrogale persephone was not officially described until 1982 (Maynes 1982). In 1991, a recovery plan began, leading to the creation of a Recovery Team in 1993 (Davidson 2001; Nolan 1997). The Marsupial and Monotreme Action Plan listed Proserpine rock-wallabies as vulnerable in 1992 (Kennedy 1992). This speices was listed as endangered in Queensland by the Nature Conservation Act in 1992, by the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List of Threatened Animals in 1994, and by the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act in 1999. The Department of Environment and Resource Management considers it to be a critical priority (Nolan 1997; Queensland Government 2012).
There are many threats to Proserpine rock-wallabies. Residential development and tourism utilize prime habitat of this species. The five main populations of Proserpine rock-wallabies are separated by unsuitable habitat, preventing gene flow. Predation, parasites, and disease transmitted by feral and domestic cats and dogs as well as roadkill also threatens this species. Proserpine rock-wallabies are frequently hit by cars. Because P. persephone is an opportunistic feeder, there is a danger of consuming introduced toxic plants, such as pink periwinkle (Catharanthus roseus). Misidentification of other species and hybrids may lead to inaccurate estimates of population size.
Conservation efforts are ongoing. Addition of wildlife reflectors on roads known to be roadkill zones has decreased road fatalities. Acquisition of habitat for National Parks and protection of current habitats should help recovery efforts. Additional preservation goals include increasing community awareness, releasing captively bred Proserpine rock-wallabies, and minimizing fatalities in existing populations (Nolan and Johnson 2001).
CITES: no special status
There are no known adverse effects of Proserpine rock-wallabies on humans.
Positive impacts of Proserpine rock-wallabies on humans are unknown.
Proserpine rock-wallabies are a primary consumer, opportunistically feeding on plants. Feral goats (Capra hircus) may compete with this species for food on Hayman Island. Eradication attempts have been made to eliminate these goats, which have been successful (Johnson, Nolan, and Schaper 2003).
Proserpine rock-wallabies host a variety of parasites. Haemaphysalis petrogalis and Heterodoxus spp. exclusively parasitize rock-wallabies. Thaddeua serrata, Globocephaloides macropodis, Hypodontus macropi, Eimeria petrogale, and Eimeria sharmani may also pose a risk to Proserpine rock-wallabies (Begg et al. 1995). Feral cats and dogs and roadkill may pass parasites and thus disease to Proserpine rock-wallabies, including toxoplasmosis via Toxoplasma gondii and hydatidosis via Echinococcus granulosis (Johnson, Nolan, and Schaper 2003).
Commensal/Parasitic Species:
Proserpine rock-wallabies forage at the edge of forest habitat. They are generalist opportunistic feeders and obtain approximately 60% of their diet from ground dwelling plants, but eat any easily accessible plants, flowers, or seeds. Diet varies from wet to dry season. In one population (Winkle 1997), grass made up 54% of the diet during the wet season, and 52% in the dry season. Trees made up 34% in the wet season and 32% in the dry season. Fungi made up 1% of diet during both wet and dry seasons, and forbs made up less than 1% during both wet and dry seasons. Shrubs increased from 7% in the dry season to 8% in the wet season, and vines dramatically increased from 0.7% in the wet season to 8% in the dry season (Winkel 1997). Beach scrub is a common food source for the population living on Gloucester Island (Johnson, Nolan, and Schaper 2003). Introduced toxic plants pose a possible danger due to the opportunistic nature of Proserpine rock-wallabies.
Plant Foods: leaves; seeds, grains, and nuts; fruit
Other Foods: fungus
Primary Diet: herbivore (Folivore )
Proserpine rock-wallabies, Petrogale persephone, are found in fragmented habitats along north-east to central coastal Queensland, Australia. There is also an isolated population on Gloucester Island. In 1998, this species was introduced to Hayman Island (Johnson, Nolan, and Schaper 2003). Its habitat includes portions of Conway National Park, Gloucester Island National Park, Drylander National Park, and Conway Range (Nolan and Johnson 2001).
Biogeographic Regions: australian (Introduced , Native )
Proserpine rock-wallabies live in elevated rocky outcrops within semi-deciduous microphyll-notophyll vine forests. They often prefer foothills near open woodland (Johnson, Nolan, and Schaper 2003; Johnson and Delean 1999; Nolan 1997). During the dry season, they moves closer to the forest edge to graze on grasses (Nolan and Johnson 2001). During the day, this species is occasionally active at elevations above 140 m (Nolan, 1997; Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities, 2012).
Proserpine rock-wallabies occupy areas with diverse rock types and choose their habitat based on a variety of factors. Favorable locations contain boulders larger than 0.6 m in diameter, which are used for shelter (Pott 1997).
Many similar species are found in the same region, and habitat preference is commonly used as a factor in identification (Sharman, Close, and Maynes 1990).
Habitat Regions: terrestrial
Proserpine rock-wallabies can live 10 years in the wild.
Typical lifespan
Status: wild: 10 (high) years.
Like many rock wallabies, Proserpine rock-wallabies are dark grey in color and occasionally have a mauve tinge. Their underside is a light cream color. All four paws are black. The tail is dark dorsally with a tuft on end. A white tip on the tail is common and often used in identification; however, not every member of this species displays this trait (Norlan 1997). The back paws have fleshy pads and short, stout, hooked nails for climbing rocks.
Of the eleven species of rock-wallabies found in Australia, P. persephone is the third largest (Johnson and Delean 1999; Nolan and Johnson 2001). This species is slightly sexually dimorphic with males weighing 4.3 to 9.6 kg and females weighing 3.6 to 7.4 kg (Johnson, Nolan, and Schaper 2003). The head and body length of an adult averages at 520 to 640 mm (Nolan 1997).
Hybridization is common within the genus Petrogale, increasing difficulty of species identification (Close and Bell 1997; Sharman, Close, and Maynes 1990).
Range mass: 3.6 to 9.6 kg.
Range length: 520 to 640 mm.
Sexual Dimorphism: male larger
Other Physical Features: endothermic ; bilateral symmetry
Dingos (Canis lupusdingo), carpet pythons (Morelia spilota), and goannas (Varanus varius) are native predators of Proserpine rock-wallabies (Winkel 1997).
When first introduced to Hayman Island, many Proserpine rock-wallabies were found dead with wounds consistent with eagle attacks. Suspected predators were wedge-tailed eagles (Aquila audax) and white breasted sea eagles (Halioeetus leucogaster). A 3-month gradual release of Proserpine rock-wallabies slowly exposed wallabies to the new environment and predators while keeping them protected and helped condition wallabies to avoid eagles (Johnson, Nolan, and Schaper 2003).
Many Proserpine rock-wallabies are hit by cars, and populations are reduced by human encroachment on habitat.
Known Predators:
Little is known about the mating system of Proserpine rock-wallabies.
In favorable conditions, Proserpine rock-wallabies can breed year round. Estrus lasts 33 to 38 days and gestation lasts 30 to 34 days. Like similar marsupials, Proserpine rock-wallabies exhibit embryonic diapause. A female can become pregnant immediately after giving birth. The embryo freezes in development as a blastocyst in response to the lactation hormone prolactin. The young stays within its mother's pouch for 203 to 215 days and is fully weaned 105 to 139 days after leaving the pouch. During weaning, prolactin decreases in the mother, activating the embryonic development of the next young. This cycle allows a mother to give birth a day after the previous joey leaves the pouch permanently. There is equal sex allocation in this species. Males become sexually mature at 24.8 to 25.2 months of age, and females become sexually mature at 20.5 to 25.1 months (Johnson and Delean 1999).
Hybridization is common within the genus Petrogale. These hybrids were first discovered in 1976 and are still recorded on occasion. Fertility is slightly diminished in hybrids, but both male and female hybrids are fertile (Close and Bell 1997).
Breeding interval: Proserpine rock-wallabies breed approximately once yearly.
Breeding season: Proserpine rock-wallabies breed year round.
Average number of offspring: 1.
Range gestation period: 30 to 34 days.
Range weaning age: 308 to 354 days.
Range age at sexual or reproductive maturity (female): 20.5 to 25.1 months.
Range age at sexual or reproductive maturity (male): 24.8 to 25.2 months.
Key Reproductive Features: year-round breeding ; gonochoric/gonochoristic/dioecious (sexes separate); sexual ; viviparous ; embryonic diapause ; post-partum estrous
Young Proserpine rock-wallabies are born underdeveloped and remain within their mother's pouch for 203 to 215 days. Mothers lactate until offspring are fully weaned, 105 to 139 days after leaving the pouch.
Parental Investment: altricial ; female parental care ; pre-hatching/birth (Provisioning: Female, Protecting: Female); pre-weaning/fledging (Provisioning: Female, Protecting: Female)
The Proserpine rock-wallaby (Petrogale persephone) is a species of rock-wallaby restricted to a small area in Conway National Park, Dryander National Park, Gloucester Island National Park, and around the town of Airlie Beach, all in Whitsunday Shire in Queensland, Australia. It is a threatened species, being classified by the IUCN as endangered.[2]
The Proserpine rock-wallaby is mostly grey in colour and is a timid grass-eater that rarely ventures far from rock shelter.[3] It is distinguished from the many other rock wallabies found in northeastern Queensland by its larger size and longer tail, tipped with white. It was unknown to science until 1977, when a single individual was captured after farmers at Proserpine had spoken of a strange form of rock wallaby in the area.[4]
The Proserpine rock-wallaby is found only in a relatively intensively-settled area, but it is in competition with other more successful rock-wallaby species, which competition is probably responsible for its threatened status.[5]
The Proserpine rock-wallaby is threatened by multiple factors. It's habitat has declined from increased urbanization and tourism, leading it vulnerable to road kill and predation from domestic dogs and cats.[6][7] Inbreeding and hybridization between the Prosperine and Unadorned rock-wallaby species also threatens the population. It's feeding habits make it vulnerable to consuming introduced toxic plants like the pink periwinkle.[6]
Current conservation strategies for this species involve the acquisition of protected habitat, adding wildlife reflectors to roadkill zones to prevent further fatalities, and controlling toxic plants near their habitat.[8]
{{cite book}}: Missing or empty |title= (help) {{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) {{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) The Proserpine rock-wallaby (Petrogale persephone) is a species of rock-wallaby restricted to a small area in Conway National Park, Dryander National Park, Gloucester Island National Park, and around the town of Airlie Beach, all in Whitsunday Shire in Queensland, Australia. It is a threatened species, being classified by the IUCN as endangered.
The Proserpine rock-wallaby is mostly grey in colour and is a timid grass-eater that rarely ventures far from rock shelter. It is distinguished from the many other rock wallabies found in northeastern Queensland by its larger size and longer tail, tipped with white. It was unknown to science until 1977, when a single individual was captured after farmers at Proserpine had spoken of a strange form of rock wallaby in the area.
The Proserpine rock-wallaby is found only in a relatively intensively-settled area, but it is in competition with other more successful rock-wallaby species, which competition is probably responsible for its threatened status.
