Western Short-Faced Roo
Simosthenurus occidentalis
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Chordata
Mammalia
Diprotodontia
Macropodoidea
Macropodidae
Simosthenurus
Simosthenurus occidentalis
The Short-Faced Giant Kangaroo of Pleistocene Australia, Simosthenurus occidentalis was a powerful, stocky browser adapted to the dry woodlands and scrublands of the continent. Unlike modern kangaroos, it walked upright with a robust, human-like posture and used a single-toed foot for stability.
Description
Simosthenurus occidentalis — This extinct species belonged to the class Mammalia, order Diprotodontia, infraorder Macropodiformes, and family Macropodidae. Adults weighed between 120–230 kg, stood approximately 2–2.3 meters tall, and had a shoulder height of around 1.6 meters. Its short face and deep jaw were suited to crushing leaves and tough shrubs, a dietary adaptation to the arid Australian Pleistocene landscape. Unlike modern kangaroos, it likely moved bipedally in a slow, striding gait rather than hopping.
Quick Facts
Max Mass
Shoulder Height
Standing Height
Length
Diet
Trophic Level
190
1.5
2.5
2.5
kg
m
m
m
Mixed Feeder
Omnivores – Balanced
Hunt History
Early Aboriginal Australians likely encountered and hunted Simosthenurus occidentalis using coordinated ambushes and fire-drives, tools that directed animals toward hunters with spears and clubs. Their large size made them valuable for meat and hide, but also difficult and dangerous to kill. Human arrival and increasing aridity together probably led to their extinction.
Three archaeological and historical examples:
Cuddie Springs, New South Wales (c. 36,000 BCE) — Deposits contain Simosthenurus bones showing cut marks consistent with human butchery.
Devil’s Lair, Western Australia (c. 35,000 BCE) — Stone tools found alongside megafaunal remains, including large kangaroos likely of this species.
Lake Callabonna, South Australia (c. 40,000 BCE) — Fossil beds reveal preserved skeletons of S. occidentalis in drying lake sediments, indicating drought and human hunting pressure in tandem.
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
9.5
kg
Targeted Organs
Visceral & subcutaneous
Adipose Depots
Visceral/subcutaneous (general)
Preferred Cuts
Visceral depot
Hunt Difficulty (x/5)
3