Black-footed rock-wallaby, Warru
The Black-flanked rock-wallaby (Petrogale lateralis) is a small wallaby, one of several rock-wallabies in the genus Petrogale. It was first described by John Gould in 1842 and is an important symbol in Anangu mythology.
The Black-flanked rock-wallaby is generally greyish-brown with a paler belly and chest, a dark stripe running from its head down its spine. It has a dark tail and feet. Colors may vary slightly among subspecies. It has short, thick, woolly fur that is particularly dense around the base of the tail, rump, and flanks. Its long tail, useful for balancing in rocky terrain, is tipped with a brush.
Black-flanked rock-wallabies are found across western and southern Western Australia (WA), the Northern Territory, and parts of South Australia (SA). They live in mountainous areas with granite outcrops, sandstone cliffs, scree slopes, and hummock grasses with a few trees and shrubs, and also near coastal limestone cliffs.
Black-flanked rock-wallabies are shy nocturnal animals. They usually feed at night close to rocky areas for shelter but if food is scarce near their shelter they may move not too far to find a good feeding area. Black-flanked rock-wallabies are social animals and live in groups of 10-100 individuals. During the day they rest in their shelters and may come out to warm in the sun in the morning or early in the evening.
Black-flanked rock-wallabies are herbivores (graminivores). Their diet includes mainly grasses, herbs, shrubs, and sometimes some fruits.
These wallabies are monogamous and form lifelong pair bonds; however, females may mate with other males. Their breeding cycles respond to seasonal rainfall. The species features embryonic diapause, where the embryo's development enters a state of dormancy until environmental conditions are suitable. The gestation period lasts around 30 days, and the young are poorly developed and suckle inside the mother's pouch until they are ready to leave. Unlike other kangaroos and wallabies, mothers leave their young in a sheltered place while they feed. Black-flanked rock-wallabies become reproductively mature when they are 1-2 years old.
The main threats to this species include habitat damage caused by sheep, goats and rabbits, invasive species, climate change, alteration of fire regimes, and predation by introduced foxes and feral cats.
According to the IUCN Red List, the total population size of the Black-flanked rock-wallabies is 10,000-12,000 individuals. These include estimates for individual subspecies: P. l. lateralis - 1,500 individuals, with the largest subpopulation of 500 individuals; P. l. hacketti - 1100 individuals, with the largest subpopulation of 500 individuals; P. l. pearsoni - 1,100 individuals; P. l. MacDonnell Ranges race - 6000 individuals, largest subpopulation less than 1,000 individuals; P. l. West Kimberley subspecies – less than 2,500 individuals. Currently, this species is classified as Vulnerable (VU) on the IUCN Red List, and its numbers today are decreasing.
Black-flanked rock-wallabies play an important role in their local ecosystem, as they help to regenerate the native vegetation that they feed on.