One of the 6 wallabies on WAnimals
Mammals · Diprotodontia · Macropodidae
Bridled Nailtail Wallaby
Onychogalea fraenata
It faces a high risk of extinction in the wild over the medium term. See full glossary
It was thought extinct for decades until it was rediscovered by chance in 1973 on a Queensland property earmarked to become an abattoir, which prompted the immediate creation of a conservation reserve.
Weight
4 kg – 8 kg
Size
80 cm – 1 m
Lifespan
5 years
Diet
Herbivore
Feeds mainly on plants.
Activity
Nocturnal
Active mainly at night.
Social structure
Solitary
Lives and hunts alone, joining others only to breed.
Sighting difficulty
Moderate
Estimated population
Reduced to a few nuclei in Queensland, with fewer than 1,000 mature individuals in total.
Fun facts
- It was considered extinct until it was rediscovered by chance in 1973.
- It has a horny spur at the tip of its tail whose purpose is unknown.
- Fewer than an estimated 500 remain in the wild.
Life cycle & biology
- Skeleton type
- Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (marsupial mammal)
- Habitat & environment
- Acacia scrub and grassy woodland in three remote, isolated areas of Queensland, Australia
- Birth weight
- Extremely undeveloped at birth (under 1 gram)
- Size at birth
- Extremely undeveloped at birth, finishing its development in the pouch over some 119-126 days
- Sexual maturity
- Female: 136 days (~4.5 months) | Male: 270 days (~9 months)
- Gestation / incubation
- 23-24 days
- Litter / clutch size
- 1 young, and up to 3 a year in good conditions
- Lifespan in captivity
- Documented record of up to 7.4-12 years in captivity
Sources consulted: AnAge (genomics.senescence.info); Animal Diversity Web; Critter Science; Encyclopedia of Life; Animals Fandom Wiki; Animalia.bio; Wikipedia (Bridled nail-tail wallaby)
Where to find it
See its range on the interactive mapBest time: All year round in Taunton National Park, in Queensland, at dusk and at night, when it comes out to graze in the clearings.
Related species
Other species in the catalogue with the most in common with Bridled Nailtail Wallaby — same habitat, park, country, tags or family.
Rufous Hare-wallaby
Lagorchestes hirsutus
Brush-tailed Rock Wallaby
Petrogale penicillata
Quokka
Setonix brachyurus
Red-necked Wallaby
Notamacropus rufogriseus
Agile Wallaby
Notamacropus agilis
Antilopine Kangaroo
Osphranter antilopinus
How to help
The bridled nailtail wallaby is classified as vulnerable. Organizations such as UICN, WWF y Wildlife Conservation Society work specifically on its conservation and that of its habitat; looking into their programs is a good starting point if you want to get involved.
Keep exploring
Based on what we already know about bridled nailtail wallaby.
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