Thylogale thetis (Lesson, 1828)

Common Name and Taxonomy

Thylogale thetis, commonly known as the red-necked pademelon, is a small macropod species.

Weight

Females have an average weight of 3.8 kg, while males have an average weight of 7.0 kg.

Body and Tail Length

The species has a head and body length between 29 and 62 cm, and a tail length between 27 and 51 cm.

Fur Coloration

Its fur is brown-grey overall, with a cream-colored underbelly and red-tinted fur on the neck and shoulders.

Activity Pattern

This shy animal is primarily crepuscular.

Habitat and Behavior

It typically lives in temperate forests located near grasslands: it hides within the forest during the day, and emerges to graze on grasslands at dusk.

Breeding Season

In northern Australia, the red-necked pademelon breeds during autumn and spring, while populations in southern Australia breed in summer.

Predators

Its main predators are the dingo and the red fox.

Primary Threat

The largest current threat to the species is habitat destruction, most often caused by land clearance.

Conservation Status

The red-necked pademelon is not currently classified as an endangered species.

Related Species

It is closely related to the red-legged pademelon.