broad-faced potoroo

extinct marsupial

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July 22, 2026

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The broad-faced potoroo (Potorous platyops) is an extinct species of rat kangaroo, a type of marsupial native to Australia. Rat kangaroos are related to kangaroos but differ in skull and urogenital anatomy, possessing large canine teeth. They are rabbit-sized or smaller and use their prehensile tails to gather nesting material.1

The broad-faced potoroo was listed as extinct on the IUCN Red List in 1982. Australia has the highest extinction rate for mammals globally, with at least 34 mammal species having gone extinct since the late 18th century, partly due to introduced predators like foxes and competition from introduced rabbits.12

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rat kangaroo
Another Western Australian species, the broad-faced potoroo (P. platyops), has been listed as an extinct species on the IUCN Red List since 1982. The largest species, the long-footed potoroo (P. longipes), was described in 1980; it is very rare, and the IUCN considers it an endangered species. The long-footed potoroo’s…
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Another Western Australian species, the broad-faced potoroo (P. platyops), has been listed as an extinct species on the IUCN Red List since 1982. The largest species, the long-footed potoroo (P. longipes), was described in 1980; it is very rare, and the IUCN considers it an endangered species. The long-footed potoroo’s…
Read More