What is a pademelon?
A pademelon is a small, stocky wallaby with a short tail that lives in dense forests and rainforests. Australia has three species, including the Tasmanian, red-necked and red-legged pademelons.
Pademelons are smaller than most wallabies, weighing about 3 to 12 kilograms. They stay close to thick cover, making tunnel-like paths through the undergrowth, and come out to graze on forest edges at dusk.
The Tasmanian pademelon is common in Tasmania and is often seen around campgrounds at Cradle Mountain and Mount Field. It once lived on the mainland but disappeared there, mostly because of foxes.
Rainforest species
The red-legged pademelon lives in rainforests of Queensland and northern New South Wales, while the red-necked pademelon lives in eastern rainforests and wet forests.
When alarmed, pademelons thump the ground with their hind feet to warn others.
The name pademelon is thought to come from badimaliyan, a word in the Dharug language of the Sydney region. Pademelons feed on grasses, herbs, leaves and fallen fruit, and they help disperse seeds through the forest. Like other macropods, females carry a single joey in the pouch for about six months.
Did You Know?
Pademelons are often seen grazing near rainforest walking tracks at Lamington National Park.