Carrion consumption by the swamp wallaby (Wallabia bicolor)

Abstract

Macropodids are predominantly herbivores and their dentition reflects their foraging strategy. The swamp wallaby (Wallabia bicolor) is considered to be a generalist browser, consuming a wide diversity of plants, from forbs, shrubs, grasses and sedges. However, there is some evidence that swamp wallabies are opportunists. Here, I document the consumption of the wing of a dead seabird by a swamp wallaby, the first detailed case of this species consuming carrion, and discuss other records of animal consumption in the Macropodiformes.