Drinking behaviour of yellow-footed rock-wallabies (Petrogale xanthopus celeris) in semiarid Queensland

This study examined the patterns of water use by yellow-footed rock-wallabies (Petrogale xanthopus celeris) at a colony in semiarid Queensland. Visitation by wallabies to an earthen tank was monitored, over a three-year period, via radio-tracking. The rate of visitation to the tank was negatively linked to both rainfall in the previous month and rainfall during tracking, while being positively related to temperature. Drinking rate increased considerably when mean pasture moisture content fell below 20%. The regular visitation to the tank suggests that Queensland populations of wallabies may have a stronger reliance on free water than previously thought. The closure of artificial waters on conservation reserves and pastoral properties could result in dramatic declines in wallaby numbers and potentially localised extinctions.