Petrogale wilkinsi
Silhouette: Lani Mohan · PhyloPic
In 3 days ~80% in a week >90%
The eastern short-eared rock-wallaby or Wilkins' rock-wallaby (Petrogale wilkinsi) is a species of rock-wallaby found in the northernmost parts of the Northern Territory of Australia, and is common in the Kakadu and Litchfield National Parks. It was thought to be a subpopulation of the short-eared rock-wallaby Petrogale brachyotis found in the Kimberley (Western Australia), but recent genetic and morphological studies have shown it to be distinct. Wilkins' rock-wallaby is smaller, has more distinct grey/brown markings on its head and sides, and more colourful limbs than the western species.
A species that emerged in results during examination of a poorly studied taxonomic complex, known as the brachyotis species group of the macropod genus Petrogale. The description of the cryptic species was published in 2014 as part of a study of the phylogeny of the genus of rock-wallabies.
The specific epithet commemorates the European explorer G. H. Wilkins, who had collected a specimen that was later assigned to the new species. Wilkins obtained his specimen in southeast Arnhem Land in 1925. Two common names have been assigned to the species, Wilkins’ rock-wallaby and the eastern... Wikipedia →
| # | Park | Country | Daily sighting probability |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kakadu National Park | 🇦🇺 Australia |
More parks will be added in future updates.
Likely
About 40% of wildlife watchers report an Eastern Short-eared Rock-wallaby sighting in Kakadu National Park on a given day, based on 61 verified sightings from GBIF citizen-science data from 2019 to 2026. It is the 2nd most-seen of the 11 mammals we can rate there. Over three days the chance rises to about 80%, and over a week to over 90%, if each day is a fresh chance.
January, June and August–October
In those months about 50% of wildlife watchers report an Eastern Short-eared Rock-wallaby in Kakadu National Park on a given day, against under 5% in February, April and November, the lowest months.
Between 4 and 7 pm
Across all the parks we cover, that three-hour window holds the most Eastern Short-eared Rock-wallaby sightings with a recorded time, and about 6 in 10 of them come between 6 am and 6 pm: it is seen both by day and at night.
Only Kakadu National Park, in our data
Kakadu National Park is the only park on Wallace's Line with enough records to rate Eastern Short-eared Rock-wallaby sightings: about 40% of wildlife watchers there report one on a given day.
Same family: Macropodidae
The closest relatives of the Eastern Short-eared Rock-wallaby that you can see in Kakadu National Park (family Macropodidae, Kangaroos, Wallabies and Allies) are Agile Wallaby (about 60%), Woodward S Wallaroo (about 20%) and Wallaroo (about 10%), with each one's daily chance of a sighting.
GBIF citizen-science records
It is estimated from how often the Eastern Short-eared Rock-wallaby is recorded against all the mammals logged in Kakadu National Park (61 verified sightings from 2019 to 2026), calibrated against known sighting rates. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10% because citizen-science data supports honest approximations, not decimals, and months with records from fewer than five people show "—". How it works.
