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MUSKY RAT KANGAROO FACTS |
Description
The Musky Rat Kangaroo is the smallest member of the kangaroo family (macropod). It is a small marsupial that looks like a miniature kangaroo. The fur is rich brown fur with some darker hairs. The head is grey brown and the tail is dark brown and covered with scales. The Musky Rat Kangaroo uses both front feet and back feet to move around - it puts weight on its front feet to pull its back feet forward as it hops.
Size
head and body length: 23cm; tail length 14cm
Habitat
rainforest near creeks and rivers. It sleeps in a nest of dried leaves and ferns
Food
fruits of rainforest trees, and also some invertebrates such as worms and insects
Breeding
Normally two young are born. The young lave the pouch after about 21 weeks
Range
northern Queensland
Credits:
Map is from Atlas of Living Australia website at https://biocache.ala.org.au licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
Notes
The Musky Rat Kangaroo is dependent on the rainforest and forest clearing has a negative impact on population.
Classification
| Class: | Mammalia | | Order: | Diprotodontia | | Family: | Potoroidae | | Genus: | Hypsiprymnodon | | Species: | moschatus | | Common Name: | Musky Rat Kangaroo |
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