Brush-tailed Rock-wallaby

Petrogale penicillata 

Elusive and shy, the Brush-tailed Rock-wallaby has been nicknamed the ‘Shadow’ by those who work with it. Unfortunately this nickname could equally refer to the tiny numbers of this species surviving in the wild. Hunting bounties at the turn of the century decimated this species, and its future survival in the wild lies in the balance.

Predator control, habitat management and provision of safe environments for future reintroduction are crucial for the survival of the remaining few animals. With a focus on captive breeding, Zoos Victoria has joined the effort to recover the Shadow.

  • The Program

    The goal of the Recovery Program is to secure and expand the existing Brush-tail colonies and re-establish the species at suitable sites in Victoria over the next five years.

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  • The Conservation Issue

    In the late 1880s, Brush-tails were abundant and widespread across the rocky country of south-eastern Australia, from southern Queensland through to New South Wales and Victoria.  Now only small, isolated populations of Brush-tails remain, scattered across the three states.

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  • Reports and Publications

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