What do musky rat kangaroos eat

Musky rat-kangaroos eat the lowest-fibre diet of all animals in the superfamily Macropodoidea and their size and digestive tract reflect this unspecialised, and probably ancestral, diet. All rights reserved. More Statistics. The musky rat-kangaroo lives in the tropical forests of north-eastern Queensland, Australia. Some populations are also found in New Guinea. In Australia, it ranges from Mount Amos in the north to Mount Lee in the south at elevations from sea-level to m.

Musky rat-kangaroos are primarily frugivores; their favoured diet is fruits. They forage on the forest floor for fruits, seeds, invertebrates, and fungi. They prefer large fleshy fruits and seeds with a soft to moderate seed coat. They also supplement their diets with invertebrates and fungi. Musky Rat-kangaroos hold hard-shelled insects and seeds in its forepaws and turns its head to one side so that the sectorial premolars can shear through exoskeletons and seed covers. With the head then directed forward, the incisor teeth are used to pull the innards out and chewed before swallowing.

Forest plants often produce fruit for only a short period. So musky rat-kangaroos, in a trait similar to squirrels in North America, bury fruits and seeds in various locations for retrieval later.

Many of these hidden stashes are never retrieved, which has a beneficial effect on many plant seeds that only germinate if buried in this way. Like another rainforest animal, the Cassowary, the musky rat- kangaroo plays a vital part in forest vegetation propagation and regeneration. Musky rat-kangaroos eat the lowest-fibre diet of all macropods. This is reflected in their simpler, less specialised digestive tract. The musky rat-kangaroos have no significant predators Because predators such as dingoes, feral foxes, and cats do not like living in tropical rain forests.

The musky rat-kangaroos are not endangered. These kangaroos occur in tropical rainforest in the north-eastern Queensland Australia , where they inhabit areas with dense vegetation around lakes and streams.

Due to their shyness and quickness, these kangaroos are extremely difficult to spot and observe in the wild. Musky rat-kangaroos are generally solitary, although they are known to feed in small groups of 2 - 3 individuals. These diurnal animals sleep in their nests, typically made between the plank buttresses of a large tree or in a clump of Lawyer Vine. When constructing their nests, Musky rat-kangaroos collect nesting material e.

When running, they use all of their four limbs, as opposed to other macropods, hopping on their hind feet. According to an observation, these kangaroos may sunbathe on fallen logs. They have also been seen in trees, suggesting they are good climbers.

Musky rat-kangaroo are primarily insectivorous. Their diet consists of insects and worms, complemented with fruits, seeds, tuberous roots and palm berries. Little is known about the mating and reproductive behavior of Musky rat-kangaroos, due to their elusive behavior.

However, they are known to breed from February to July. Like in other kangaroos, gestation period lasts for 19 days, yielding 2 young. Newborn babies live in the pouch of their mother for 21 weeks, after which they come out of the pouch, remaining in the nest for additional several weeks.

Females of this species reach sexual maturity after one year old. In course of time, these kangaroos have lost a big part of their original range, especially in the coastal lowlands, where their rainforest habitat has been turned to agricultural and pastoral areas. Currently, there are no notable threats to the population of Musky rat-kangaroos.

However, the animals are thought to be hunted by feral cats and dogs. They may also suffer from clearing of rainforest, which is their natural habitat. According to IUCN, the Musky rat-kangaroo is common across its range but no overall population estimate is available. Currently, this species is classified as Least Concern LC , and its numbers are stable.

Feeding upon vegetation, Musky rat-kangaroos serve as key seed dispersers of the rainforest ecosystem, enhancing regeneration of various plants. Musky Rat-Kangaroo.