Pint-sized Pademelons

There are kangaroos and wallabies, but have you heard of pademelons?  They are the even smaller sized version of a kangaroo with a shorter, bushier tail.  Looking more like a cross between a squirrel and a rabbit, pademelons are marsupials like kangaroos and females carry their young, also called joeys, in a pouch.

Tasmanian pademelon

The Tasmanian pademelon is nocturnal and hides in thick forest vegetation during the day and comes out in more open areas to feed on plants, herbs, grasses, and flowers at night.  Native to Tasmania, males are much  larger than females and except for breeding and taking care of their young, pademelons are solitary creatures.  Other species of pademelons are also found in Australia, New Guinea and Papua New Guinea.

Red-necked pademelon

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