A-Z of animals : Pademelon to Rhino

Abundant throughout Tasmania, the Pademelon feeds on herbs and green shoots. Males, considerably larger than females, have a muscular chest and forearms, and reach up to 12kg (26lb) in weight and 1.2m (4ft) in length. The young, with a pouch life of 6 months, are weaned at 8 months. Longevity in the wild may be 5 - 6 years.

The best known of endangered species, Pandas are often called "bears" but actually belong to a family of their own, closely allied to racoons. The panda has the digestive system of a carnivore, but long ago adapted to a vegetarian diet and now feeds almost exclusively on the stems and leaves of bamboo. Panda cubs weigh only 90g (3oz) at birth. Fully grown pandas weigh 100kg (220lb) and live 10 to 15 years.

Pangolin

Panther
Black Panther
Florida Panther
A cat of many names, the Puma is also known as the Cougar, Panther or Mountain Lion. In hunting the puma uses the strength of its powerful hind legs to lunge at its prey with single running jumps that can reach in excess of 12m (40ft). They grow up to 2m (6'5") in length and have a lifespan of 10 - 15 years.

Peccary
Collared Peccary

Penguin

Pika
American Pika
Collared Pika

Pipistelle
Eastern Pipistrelle
Western Pipistrelle

Platypus: With a fleshy sensitive duck bill, webbed feet, a tail like a beaver and a double coat of fur, the platypus is the only mammal that is poisonous. On each ankle, the male Platypus has sharp poisonous spurs which can kill small animals.

Porcupine
Common Porcupine

Prairie Dog
Black-tailed Prairie Dog
Gunnison's Prairie Dog
Utah Prairie Dog
White-tailed Prairie Dog

Found only on America's Great Plains, the Pronghorn is the only surviving member of its family, Antilocapridae. Smaller than the white-tailed deer, the mature buck weighs 60kg (132lb), and is extremely fast, running up to 90km/h (56mph). The male develops large pronged horns which average about 30cm (1ft) and are shed each year. The smaller female sometimes develops short horns that are rarely as long as her ears.

Quokka: This type of wallaby, the Setonix brachyurus, were one of the first Australian mammals seen by Europeans, first explained as a "a wild cat". They have a well-developed pecking order in their groups of 25-150. They breed once a year, and produce a single joey.

Found mostly in Tasmania, the spotted-tailed Quoll (or tiger cat as it was once inappropriately known) is the second largest of the world's surviving carnivorous marsupials. Measuring up to 130cm (51in) long and 4kg (8.8lb) in weight, they prey on rats, gliding possums, small wallabies, reptiles and insects.

Rabbit
Brush Rabbit
Marsh Rabbit
Riparian Brush Rabbit
Swamp Rabbit

Raccoon
Common Raccoon

Rat
Banner-tailed Kangaroo Rat
Black Rat
Bushy-tailed Woodrat
Desert Kangaroo Rat
Desert Woodrat
Dusky-footed Woodrat
Florida Woodrat
Fresno Kangaroo Rat
Heermann's Kangaroo Rat
Hispid Cotton Rat
Hoary Bat
Marsh Rice Rat
Merriam's Kangaroo Rat
Norway Rat
Ord's Kangaroo Rat
Southern Plains Woodrat
Stephen's Kangaroo Rat
White-throated Woodrat

Rhino: These large, primitive-looking mammals have been hunted to near extinction: since 1970 the rhino population has declined by 90%. The white or square-lipped rhino, is one of two species. The black or hooked-lipped rhino, is an odd-toed ungulate (three toes on each foot). Both the black and white rhino have two horns.

Ringtail