Sunday, March 8, 2009

The Desert Rat Kangaroo


It is unclear whether the Desert Rat Kangaroo (Caloprymnus campestris) is extinct or not.

It lived in the hot and dry desert of Central Australia.

It has not been spotted since 1935 (when it was seen in the Lake Eyre region of northern Southern Australia).

Apparently recent remains of C.Campestris have been found in caves of Southeastern Western Australia.

Habitat
They lived in nests in the ground to hide from the sun in the desert where brush and foliage were scarce.

Desert Rat Kangaroos were solitary, except for a mother and her young or a mating couple. They travelled at great speeds and fed at night on foliage and the stems of vegetation.

Reasons for their decline and probable extinction would most certainly be the introduction of invasive species such as the rabbit, fox and cat to Australia.

Back to Australian Desert Animals

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