The Yellow-footed Rock-wallaby (Petrogale xanthopus) is the most strikingly-coloured member of the macropod family, which includes Kangaroos, Wallabies, Tree-Kangaroos, Wallaroos and others.
Historically, the Yellow-footed Rock-wallaby was widespread across inland areas of Queensland, New South Wales and South Australia.
Yellow-footed Rock-wallaby populations fluctuate greatly depending on the season and environmental conditions. The are very sensitive to dought and predators as they have very specialised habitat requirements and smaller home-ranges than larger Kangaroo species.
Living in groups of up to several dozen individuals, Yellow-footed Rock-wallabies live near rocky outcrops, cliffs and ridges which provide shelter from heat and predators in arid and semi-arid country.
Once widespread, Yellow-footed Rock-wallabies population numbers suffered a sharp decline. Reasons included intense hunting for their fur in the past, habitat destruction, competition from introduced species such as rabbits, sheep and goats, and predation by feral cats and foxes.
In New South Wales, the main reasons for Yellow-footed Rock-wallaby decline included fox attacks on young wallabies and feral goat encroachment on wallaby habitat.
In NSW the Yellow-footed Rock Wallaby was first recorded in 1964 near Mutawintji, in the Coturaundee Ranges. The two small mountain ranges in the far west of the state are still the only known places where the species survives in New South Wales.
In the 1970s, the last remaining habitat of the New South Wales Yellow-footed Rock-wallaby population was on private land, which sadly granted no protection for the vulnerable colony.
The Foundation's Role in Saving the Yellow-footed Rock-wallaby from Extinction
The Foundation moved to protect the habitat of Yellow-footed Rock-wallabies in New South Wales, so that their homes could be protected in this state forever.
In 1979, the Foundation for National Parks & Wildlife purchased 10,000 hectares of this land where Yellow-footed Rock-wallabies were found. This land became part of Mutawintji National Park, for the conservation and protection of the Yellow-footed Rock Wallaby.
The Foundation contributed further funds to pest eradication programs targeting foxes and goats in Yellow-footed Rock-wallaby habitat to give this species the best chance at recovery.
Annual surveys of Mutawintji National Park confirmed that the population was recovering, and it grew every year since 1995.
From severely low numbers, Yellow-footed Rock-wallabies in New South Wales grew to between 300 and 400 individuals as a result of the habitat protection and predator control actions funded by the Foundation and its supporters.
