Red-Legged Pademelon (Vulnerable species)

Thylogate stigmatica

The Red-Legged Pademelon is found in rainforest adjacent to wet sclerophyll forest with dense under story & grassy areas It occurs in NSW, Queensland and and New Guinea.

Fur is extremely soft, grey –brown above, cream below. Cheeks, forehead, forearms, hips and hind legs are russet brown. The nose is usually specked pink and black. Face is pointed compared to the Red-Necked Pademelon, it's tail is short 30-44 cm, stumpy with fine sparse fur.

Weight – males 3-9kg (7kg) males continue growing throughout life reaching up to 9 kg. and are larger and more muscular in the forelimbs and chest than females that weigh from2- 4.2 kg. Sexual maturity is reached at 11-18 months for both sexes.

The Red-Legged Pademelon is a shy animal, it is solitary, but may congregate to browse on grasses, ferns such as Fishbone Fern, herbs, fungi, shrubs, soft plants, leaves and fruits of the forest floor, they will also eat insects.

They are active from late afternoon through the night to early morning returning to shelter by dawn.
When resting tail is between outstretched hind legs, sitting on the base of the tail leaning back against a rock or small tree, as they sleep the head rests on the tail between their outstretched legs.
They will rarely venture more than 30-100meters out from the forest edge at nightfall.
Breeding in the North is continuous with birth peaks in the autumn and spring.
Pademelon’s thump their back foot in alarm warning others of danger.

• Major threats – Habitat loss due to clearing; predation by dogs, cats, foxes, large birds of prey, pythons and motor vehicle collision.