Marsupial tapir
Palorchestes azael
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Chordata
Mammalia
Diprotodontia
Palorchestidae
Palorchestes azael
The Marsupial “Tapir” of Australia, Palorchestes azael, was one of the strangest herbivores of the Pleistocene. With a long, flexible snout, massive claws, and a sturdy body, it resembled a mix between a giant wombat and a tapir—though it was neither. This remarkable creature fed on soft leaves and shoots in the dense forests and woodlands of Ice Age Australia.
Description
Palorchestes azael was a large, slow-moving browser with unusually long forelimbs and massive claws, possibly used for pulling down branches or stripping bark. Its distinctive skull suggests a trunk-like nose and powerful chewing muscles for processing fibrous vegetation. It coexisted with other Australian megafauna such as Diprotodon and Thylacoleo carnifex, thriving in forested river valleys and wetter environments before human arrival.
Quick Facts
Max Mass
Shoulder Height
Standing Height
Length
Diet
Trophic Level
1000
1.5
2.25
2.5
kg
m
m
m
Mixed Feeder
Omnivores – Balanced
Hunt History
While direct evidence of human hunting is limited, Palorchestes azael likely fell victim to a combination of human activity and climate change. Early Aboriginal Australians may have hunted it opportunistically, using fire to alter habitats and drive prey. The creature’s slow gait and large size would have made it an easy target once discovered.
Archaeological Evidence:
Naracoorte Caves, South Australia (~45,000 years ago): Fossil remains found in cave deposits associated with other hunted megafauna.
Lake Callabonna, South Australia (~40,000 years ago): Partial skeletons found in drying lake beds suggest environmental stress during human expansion.
Cuddie Springs, New South Wales (~37,000 years ago): Palorchestes remains found near stone artifacts, indicating human coexistence.
Time & Range
Extinction Status
Globally Extinct
Extinction Date
Temporal Range
Region
40000
BP
Late Pleistocene
Australia
Wiki Link
Fat Analysis
Fatness Profile:
Medium
Fat %
5
Est. Renderable Fat
15
kg
Targeted Organs
Visceral & subcutaneous
Adipose Depots
Visceral/subcutaneous (general)
Preferred Cuts
Visceral depot
Hunt Difficulty (x/5)
3