Identification
Identification of an animal is important to enable it to be cared for properly and taken through to final release. There are many different marsupials and these notes are only intended as a quick guide to those most commonly seen in WA. All carers should acquire good reference books to assist in identification. The “Complete Book of Australian Mammals” by the Australian Museum, edited by Ronald Strahan and available through the publishers, Angus and Robertson, is highly recommended.
Marsupials give birth to extremely immature and pre-placental offspring. The identification of immature animals can be difficult unless the identity of the mother is known. Information on where an animal was found can also assist in identification.
Marsupials can be distinguished from placental mammals by having a single external urogenital opening or cloaca. The females, in the majority of species, have a pouch and the males have their testes situated above the penis.
All marsupials can be classified as herbivores, carnivores or omnivores. Animals belonging to the different classifications can be identified by their teeth. Herbivores, such as kangaroos, wallabies and possums, have long lower incisors designed for cutting vegetation and molars designed for grinding. Carnivores, such as quolls and dunnarts, have sharp pointed molars and pointed canine teeth designed for grasping prey and cutting and tearing through flesh and bone. Omnivores, such as bandicoots and woylies, have the long lower incisors similar to the herbivores as well as sharp canine teeth on the upper jaw.
The following are descriptions of the species most commonly seen at the Chidlow Marsupial Hospital and most likely to be seen by carers in WA.
This includes kangaroos and wallabies (Macropods), and possums.
Western Grey Kangaroo
The Grey Kangaroo is one of the largest of the macropods with some males reaching 6 feet (1.83m) and weighing 60-70 kg. The colour and texture of the Western Grey’s coat varies with different localities, from the longer, finer coats in coastal areas to darker, shorter and thicker coats in cooler forest areas. The Western Grey is found in the south-west and wheatbelt of Western Australia.
Kangaroos and wallabies can be identified by their nose patterns. The grey kangaroo is the only species with an entirely “furred” nose – the fur extending to the upper lip. The thin naked area around the nostrils is also evident in furless joeys.
Common Wallaroo (Euro)
The most common subspecies of Wallaroo seen by WA carers is the Common Wallaroo or Euro. A mature male can weigh 40 kg and female 20kg. Euros are shorter and stockier than the Greys and Reds, with an independent and sometimes aggressive nature.
The coat colour varies from a dark, rich red in the males to varying shades of grey in females. The coat has a hair-like texture and in some individuals can be very long. (When males are sterilised they lose their rich, red coat colour and assume the colouring of the females.)
Wallaroos are found throughout WA except for the south west. Toodyay is about as close as they come to Perth.
Wallaroos have a naked, leathery nose, which is also evident in furless joeys. The characteristic “cch cch” sound of the wallaroo joey can also be useful for identification.
Red Kangaroo
The largest of all the kangaroos, older males can reach 80-90 kg with females being considerably smaller at 25-30 kg. The name ‘Red’ is deceiving as, in WA, the coat colour may vary from a pale cream through to a smoky blue as well as the different shades of red. Both sexes can assume any of these colourings and the colour can change with the seasons.
The Red Kangaroo is a desert animal found throughout WA except for the south west and wheatbelt.
The most distinguishing feature of the Red kangaroo is the black and white markings around the muzzle. The nose is broad with a boomerang-shaped naked area and this feature can be used to identify furless joeys.
Western Brush Wallaby (Black-Gloved Wallaby)
Once common in the south west forests of WA, its numbers have been dramatically reduced by feral predators and loss of habitat. Males and females are similar in size and appearance, with adults weighing approximately 6 kg.
The coat colour is predominately grey, with darker barring across the rump in adults. The underbelly is lighter, often paling to beige. The tips of the ears, the feet and the tiny forepaws are black giving rise to its name. There is also a very distinct facial stripe. The tail is very long with a black crest which becomes more developed as the animal matures.
Tammar Wallaby
The Tammar is another wallaby that has suffered from feral predators and loss of habitat. Isolated colonies still exist in the wheatbelt and they are abundant on Garden Island. The Tammar is one of the smallest of the wallabies, the males weighing approximately 6 kg and the females 4 kg. The coat is coarse and a dark grizzled brown in colour becoming rufous on the limbs and sides of the body, more noticeable in males. The Tammar has a pale indistinct facial stripe.
Agile Wallaby
One of the largest of all the wallabies, the adult males can reach 20 kg and the females 10-11 kg. They inhabit the Kimberley area of WA, north of Broome. The coat is a sandy colour lightening to almost white on the underside. There is a darker stripe between the ears and a definite facial stripe. There is also a distinct pale stripe on the thigh.
Quokka
Quokkas have a coarse grizzled brown coat with a touch of rufus across the neck and shoulders, especially in males. They have a short pointed muzzle and very short, rounded ears. The tail is short and almost devoid of hair, with a scaly appearance.
Quokkas were once common in the south west of WA, however due to feral predators and loss of habitat, they now only exist in a small number of isolated colonies on the mainland. However they are still relatively abundant on Rottnest Island.
Common Brushtail Possum
Common throughout Australia this is the most abundant and familiar possum, especially in the suburbs. The fur shows varying shades of silver-grey paling to light underneath. The tail is bushy and flexible, sometimes with a white or yellow tip. Adult males develop a rufous colouration on the neck and shoulders, and weigh approximately 4.5 kg. Females weigh approx 3 kg and have two teats in a forward opening pouch. One young is produced at a time. After emergence from the pouch, the young rides on the mother’s back for a further two months.
Western Ringtail Possum
Uncommon now in most parts of WA the Western Ringtail Possum is usually only found in the lower south-west. A smaller possum than the Brushtail, the Ringtail has a dark, almost black coat and a smooth tapering prehensile tail with a white tip. The ears are smaller than the Brushtail’s and also rounded. The first two digits on the forefeet are opposed to the other three to create a vice-like grip. The pouch is forward opening with four nipples and occasionally two young are carried. The ringtail possum feeds predominantly on the leaves of the peppermint gum.
Western Pygmy Possum
This delightful possum is only mouse-size when fully grown and is often mistaken for a House Mouse. It is entirely nocturnal and goes into a torpid state during daylight hours. It does this by curling into a tiny ball and drastically lowering its body temperature to conserve energy. The Western Pygmy possum differs from other species in that the forward opening pouch contains six teats and as many as six young can be raised at one time.
The Honey Possum
This very tiny possum is slender and long nosed with eyes towards the top of the head. The tongue is brush-tipped for an exclusive diet of nectar and pollen. The coat is light brown or grey with a central dark stripe flanked by paler bands. The tail is prehensile. There is a well developed pouch with four nipples, but only two or three young are carried.
Western Quoll or Chuditch
This is the largest carnivorous marsupial in WA. The males can reach approximately 1.4 kg and the females .9 kg. The coat colour is greyish brown with distinctive white spots. The tail is devoid of spots, and black and bushy towards the tip.
The Western Quoll is classified as rare and endangered, but can still be found in bush areas in the Perth hills.
Brush-tailed Phascogale
A small, tree dwelling marsupial with a distinctive black “bottle brush” tail. Males weigh approximately 230gm and females 150gm. The coat is silvery grey above and creamy white underneath. The hind feet can be rotated 180 degrees at the ankle to enable it to climb up or down with equal ease. The female has eight teats and litter size varies from three to eight.
Phascogales are rarely sighted, but still occur in the south west of WA, including the Darling Ranges near Perth.
There are many other small carnivorous marsupials including Antichinus (Mardo) and Dunnarts that are occasionally seen by carers. Consult a good reference book or a wildlife expert for identification.
Echidna
The Echidna is not a marsupial, but a “Monotreme” (meaning ‘one hole’ or cloaca). The only other Monotreme is the platypus. The Echidna and platypus are the only two egg laying mammals.
After a gestation of 23 days, a tiny soft-shelled egg is deposited directly into the pouch where it is incubated for 10½ days. An immature echidna is called a “puggle” and it remains in a burrow until its spines develop. Echidnas are relatively common throughout Australia, however they are a timid animal and are rarely seen in the wild. They feed almost exclusively on termites.
Bettongs, Rat Kangaroos and Potoroos
These are the smallest of the kangaroo family. The most commonly seen is the Brushtailed Bettong or Woylie. Woylies were once common in both WA and the Eastern States, however due to feral predators and loss of habitat they are now extinct in the Eastern States and in WA survive only in protected areas. The largest colony is in the Karakamia Wildlife Sanctuary near Chidlow.
Woylies are sandy brown in colour and paler underneath. They have a long prehensile tail with a black crest that is used for carrying sticks to their nest. Males and females are similiar in appearance with a full adult weighing approximately 1.5 kg.
Bandicoots
The most commonly seen is the Southern Brown Bandicoot (or Quenda). They have coarse, dark yellowish-brown hair and small rounded ears. Approximate weight is 1 - 1.5 kg. The front feet have three very long sharp digging claws and bandicoots run with a hopping action. The female has a rear opening pouch with eight nipples.
Bandicoots are found in the south west of WA and are still relatively common in the Perth Hills.
Introduced rats are often mistaken for bandicoots. A rat can be distinguished from a bandicoot by its tail, which is bare and longer than its body and head (the bandicoot’s tail is shorter than its body). A rat runs on all four legs rather than hops, is adept at climbing and does not have long claws on its front feet.
