Musky Rat Kangaroo

The small musky rat kangaroo (Hypsiprymnodon moschatus) gets its name from the musky smell it emits when it is looking for a mate. About the size of a rabbit, with a body length of about 42 cm from the tip of the head to the tip of the tail, it weighs about 500 gm.

It has a pointed nose like a possum and medium-sized ears. The body is covered with dense, soft fur which is grey to brown in colour. The tail of the musky rat kangaroo is not covered with hair like other kangaroos, but with scales similar to a rat's tail. Unlike other kangaroos, its hind legs are only slightly elongated, and it runs on all four legs.

It lives in the dense rainforests of Queensland, and is omnivorous, eating insects and worms as well as berries and tuberous roots.

Musky rat kangaroos are solitary animals that spend much of the day resting in their nests. They mostly feed at night.