Toolache wallaby

Toolache wallaby
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Illustration by John Gould
Conservation status
Extinct (c. 1943) (IUCN 3.1)
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Class:	Mammalia
Infraclass:	Marsupialia
Order:	Diprotodontia
Family:	Macropodidae
Genus:	Macropus
Species:	†M. greyi
Binomial name
Macropus greyi Waterhouse, 1846

The toolache wallaby or Grey's wallaby (Macropus greyi) is an extinct species of wallaby from south-eastern South Australia and South-western Victoria.

Description

File:Macropus greyi Gould.jpg

Illustration of the upper body by John Gould

The toolache wallaby was a slim, graceful, and elegant creature that had a pale ashy-brown pelt with a buff-yellow underbelly. The tail was pale grey and became almost white near the tip. The distinct black mark on its face reached from its nose to the eye. The forearms, feet, and tips of the ears were also black. The different colors of the animal also consisted of different textured furs which are believed to have changed seasonally or varied depending on the individual. The body measurements differed between males and females. In general, male toolache wallabies had a head and body length up to 810 mm while females measured up as 840 mm. Despite the females being taller, males had longer tail lengths at about 730 mm while the females tail length was 710 mm.

Habitat

The toolache wallaby occupied the south-eastern corner of Australia to the western part of Victoria. The preferred habitat ranged from swampy short grassland areas, to taller grassed areas of the open country. The toolache wallaby was also known to be sociable creatures who lived in groups; often seen resting and grazing in groups.

Threats

A combination of numerous threats caused the decline and eventual extinction of the toolache wallaby. One of the largest factors was the destruction of its habitat. Since swamps were an important part of its habitat, once they were cleared out, much of the vegetation went with it. Besides the destruction of its habitat, the introduction of predators such as the European Fox began to kill off the species as well. On top of all this, the animal was also hunted for sport and for its beautiful pelt.

Extinction

The toolache wallaby only survived 85 years after European occupation. In the 1920s, a conservation effort was made to try and bring the animal back from the brink of extinction. The plan was to capture and breed the last known surviving members of the species in captivity. This effort ended in disaster after 10 of the 14 of them were accidentally killed in attempt to capture them. The remaining four survived in captivity. The last wild sightings were recorded in 1924, and the last known toolache wallaby survived in captivity until 1937. The species is presumed to be extinct although extensive research is still being conducted in the region after reports of suspected sightings were reports through the 1970s. However, no members of the species have been sighted since.

References

• Flannery, T and P Schouten, "A Gap in Nature," Atlantic Monthly Press, 2001, pg. 152. ISBN 0-87113-797-6