South Australia's wildlife is struggling to survive the state's dry conditions.



Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary director Doug Sprigg said he has had to pull 120 euro kangaroos out of one watering hole since late March.



Mr Sprigg said it was not the lack of water but the lack of plant growth that had hurt animal populations in the sanctuary.

"They've been dying around the watering holes," he said.



"It's not so much a lack of water as it is a lack of sustenance.



"There was a hot spell in late March and that really took its toll on them.



"They seem to be surviving better now — but the food is no better."

Nearby Leigh Creek has only received 13.2mm of rain this year, according to the Bureau of Meteorology.



By comparison the long-term average for Leigh Creek for the first four months of the year is 20mm.

A yellow-footed rock wallaby on the Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary. ( Supplied: Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary )

While dry times are not unusual for the area Mr Sprigg said his property had not seen rain "of any consequence" in 15 months and described the dry conditions as "remarkable".



The property operates a tourism business but Mr Sprigg says the dry conditions are affecting tourism numbers.



"We've got a couple of water holes that are non-existent for the first time in European man's history," he said.



"We haven't had big enough rains to really replenish the water stocks and I think with Lake Eyre getting some water shortly the people who would normally come up early in the year have probably held off a bit for Lake Eyre."

The circle of life goes on



Feral cats are becoming desperate enough in the state's arid areas to eat roadkill. ( Supplied: Hugh McGregor, Arid Recovery )

Arid Recovery is a partnership between the State Government and corporate interests.



It runs a fenced sanctuary north of Andamooka and recently introduced western quolls into its ecosystem for the first time.



General manager Katherine Tuft says it is not unusual for animal populations to go through boom and bust times.

"It's extremely unpredictable but it's predictable in its unpredictability," Dr Tuft said.



"They've got some good adaptations to deal without water or with little food.

"They're certainly struggling so we're finding animals eating things they wouldn't normally eat."

One example is the burrowing bettong, which Dr Tuft says normally eats salt bush, grasses and succulents but is now resorting to stripping the bark off bushes.

But it is not just native animals that are suffering.

Dr Tuft says feral cats have been seen outside the sanctuary eating roadkill because there aren't enough marsupials left in the area for them to hunt.

"But once we get a good rain those marsupials will breed up again and they'll be everywhere," she said.

Doug Sprigg with Cato — the yellow-footed rock wallaby he and his partner rescued. ( Supplied: Arkaroola Wilderness Sanctuary )

Wallaby leads a double life

Mr Sprigg says the yellow-footed rock wallaby seems to be surviving better than the euros (also known as wallaroos).



However, one wallaby in particular is doing better than the rest by living a double life.



About six months ago Mr Sprigg and his partner Vicki-lee Wilson looked after a yellow-footed rock wallaby in their home after it was picked up and dropped by an eagle.

They released it back into the wild two months ago but they still feed it when it comes around.



Mr Sprigg suspects the wallaby is trying to keep its meal source to itself.



"I think it's keeping that a bit secret," he said.



"It comes and has a drink form the trough with the others and then hops inside and has a feed and a drink and then goes back outside to play normal wallaby again."