Pales Short-Raced Roo
Simosthenurus pales
🦘
Chordata
Mammalia
Diprotodontia
Macropodoidea
Macropodidae
Simosthenurus
Simosthenurus pales
The Powerful-Bodied Short-Faced Kangaroo — Simosthenurus pales was one of the more muscular species of the extinct short-faced kangaroos, built like a heavyweight among browsers. It stood tall in the open woodlands of southern Australia during the Pleistocene, feeding on tough shrubs and dry leaves with its crushing jaws.
Description
Simosthenurus pales — This robust, heavyset kangaroo belonged to the family Macropodidae, within the order Diprotodontia and infraorder Macropodiformes. It shared the short, deep skull and upright stance typical of the Simosthenurus genus, but was slightly larger and more powerfully built than many of its relatives. Adults reached about 2.3 meters in standing height, with a shoulder height around 1.6 meters, an overall length of about 3 meters, and weighed roughly 220 kilograms. Its single, hoof-like toes and columnar legs suggest it was not a fast hopper but a slow walker capable of steady movement through dense scrub.
Quick Facts
Max Mass
Shoulder Height
Standing Height
Length
Diet
Trophic Level
220
1.4
2.3
2.3
kg
m
m
m
Mixed Feeder
Omnivores – Balanced
Hunt History
Early Aboriginal Australians likely hunted Simosthenurus pales using group drives and fire-stick farming, pushing these animals toward water sources or natural traps. Burned bone fragments and tool-marked remains show that humans used both direct hunting and scavenging. Their decline coincided closely with the spread of human populations and increasing aridity in southern Australia.
Archaeological Evidence:
Naracoorte Caves, South Australia — Fossil deposits containing S. pales remains dated to 42,000 years ago, overlapping with human activity.
Lake Callabonna, South Australia — Preserved skeletons found in dried mud plains, about 45,000 years old.
Devil’s Lair, Western Australia — Fragmentary Simosthenurus bones within occupation layers dating to ~39,000 years ago, suggesting coexistence with early humans.
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
9
kg
Targeted Organs
Visceral & subcutaneous
Adipose Depots
Visceral/subcutaneous (general)
Preferred Cuts
Visceral depot
Hunt Difficulty (x/5)
3