Lake Mackay hare-wallaby

Lagorchestes asomatus

Blamed on cats

IUCN status: Extinct

Last seen: Lagorchestes asomatus were last seen in 1932 between Mt Farewell and Lake Mackay, Northern Territory (IUCN 2023)

IUCN claim: “Major factors contributing to extinction are considered to be predation by introduced feral cats and red foxes”

Studies in support

Lake Mackay hare-wallabies were last confirmed 42-52 years after cats arrived (Wallach and Lundgren 2025).

Studies not in support

No studies

Is the threat claim evidence-based?

NA

Evidence linking Lagorchestes asomatus to cats. Last records of extirpated populations relative to earliest local records of cats. Error bars show record uncertainty range. Predator arrival records were digitized from Abbott 2008.

References

Abbott, The spread of the cat, Felis catus, in Australia: re-examination of the current conceptual model with additional information. Conservation Science Western Australia 7 (2008).

IUCN Red List. https://www.iucnredlist.org/ Accessed June 2023

Wallach A.D., Lundgren E.J. (2025) Review of evidence that foxes and cats cause extinctions of Australia’s endemic mammals. BioScience. DOI: 10.1093/biosci/biaf046