Description:

The plains zebroo (Quaggomacropus zebra) is a diurnal, social kangaroo species native to Australia. These kangaroos are light-yellow with black stripes across their bodies. They likely evolved from the eastern grey kangaroo (Macropus giganteus), a widespread species during the Holocene and Anthropocene. The stripes have convergently evolved for a purpose similar to those of zebras: breaking up the silhouette in large groups to confuse predators. This trait evolved due the increase of predator species on Australia. However, unlike zebras, the lighter fur of the plains zebroo is a light yellow, aiding their camouflage in tall grasses. Their short fur also helps them cope with the hot temperatures of Novicene Australia. They stand 1 to 1.5 meters tall on their hind legs and have a one-meter-long tail. Males weigh between 45 to 65 kilograms, and females weigh 30 to 35 kilograms. They tend to live 10 years in the wild and 15 to 20 years in captivity.

Distribution:

These kangaroos live in the open grasslands and plains of the Great Australian Plain and the surrounding deserts, semi-deserts, and arid scrubland.

Diet:

Being generalist grazers, these animals eat grasses, bush leaves, and other low-lying vegetation. They also eat fruits, seeds, and other vegetation.

Social Behavior:

These animals live in mixed-sex gregarious  groups. Typically, females compose the majority of a group (about 60 to 65%), while males make up the rest. Male-only bachelor groups do exist, but aren't common. These mobs get up to two thousand individuals during migration. These groups, however, typically consist of between 45 and 60 individuals during non-migration months. These groups are relatively fluid, with members leaving and joining mobs on a regular basis. These large numbers help to defend themselves against predators because the stripes on their bodies make it hard for predators to pick out an individual. This species of kangaroo is polygynous, meaning one male will mate with several females. Males fight for dominance over other males, with hierarchy deciding how many females a male can mate with. Unlike other grazing mammals, these creatures do not have a defined territory. They generally move to where grass and other vegetation are plentiful.

Migratory Patterns:

During the wet/spring season, most of these kangaroos migrate to the Awawalnja Delta, a region of wetland fed by melted snow of the Indo-Malayan Mountain. This flooded grassland supports a variety of semi-aquatic plant life and the wildlife that feeds on it. Most mobs of zebroo migrate to this region during the wet season. Many carnivorous animals and parasites rely on these migrations to feed themselves or complete their life cycles. Dingoes and crocodiles are the most common predators of these animals, but carnivorous possums and other predators hunt them as well. Once they reach the delta, the marsupials will gorge themselves on grasses, semi-aquatic plants, and other vegetation. These migrations are an important part of the Great Australian Plain's biological cycles and provide food to other animals.