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Elected representatives in government are in charge of the policy and funding that can make or break saving threatened species. Their decisions and actions matter.

Cook has or used to have 25 threatened animals within its boundaries. One of them is me, the Brush-tailed Rock-wallaby.

We took care to attach appropriate images that are as close to representative of each species as our resources and the availability of images allowed. However, we could not ensure perfect accuracy in every case. Some images show species that share the same genus but not at the species or subspecies level.

Photo of Brush-tailed Rock-wallaby

Brush-tailed Rock-wallaby

Petrogale penicillata

Status: Vulnerable

The Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) lists threatened species under six categories:
Extinct, Extinct in the wild, Critically Endangered, Endangered, Vulnerable, Conservation dependent. Read more about these categories

Petrogale penicillata is found across 48 electorates.

The Brush-tailed Rock-wallaby is brown above, tending to be rufous on the rump and grey on the shoulders. The chest and belly is paler and in some individuals there is a white blaze on the chest. There is a white to buff cheek stripe and a black dorsal stripe from the forehead to the back of the head. The exterior of the ears is black, and inside the ears is buff. There is a black auxiliary patch often extending as a dark stripe to the margin of the hind-legs. There is a pale grey side-stripe sometimes present. The feet and paws are dark brown to black. The tail darkens distally with a prominent brush. The pelage is long and thick, particularly about the rump, flanks and base of the tail. Individuals from the north of the species' range tend to be lighter and have a less prominent tail brush.¹

Explore more about this species on the Atlas of Living Australia

Habitat loss, fragmentation and degradationHabitat loss, fragmentation and degradation

Invasive species and diseasesInvasive species and diseases

Explore more about the threats facing species on our Resources page.

Cook has or used to have 16 threatened plants found within its boundaries. Some of these might not be as photogenic as the Brush-tailed Rock-wallaby but they're just as important.

You are in federal electorate Cook.

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