Wallabies

Wallabies are living beings with needs, wants and feelings, just like you and I. They are members of the kangaroo clan found primarily in Australia and on nearby islands. There are many wallaby species, grouped roughly by habitat: shrub wallabies, brush wallabies, and rock wallabies. Rock wallabies are listed as endangered.

All wallabies are marsupials or pouched mammals. Wallaby young are born tiny, helpless, and undeveloped. They immediately crawl into their mothers' pouches where they continue to develop after birth—usually for a couple of months. Young wallabies are called joeys. Even after a joey leaves the pouch, it often returns to jump in when danger approaches.

Wallabies are herbivores, and the bulk of their diet is grasses and plants. They swallow their food without chewing it and later regurgitate a cud and chew it. Their elongated faces leave plenty of jaw room for the large, flat teeth necessary to chew their vegetarian meals.

Wallabies range in size from the size of a rabbit to almost 1.8 m long. Their soft, woolly fur can be gray, brown, red or almost black. The belly is lighter. They have short arms with clawed fingers, strong, legs, and long, four-toed feet with claws. They can hop and jump with their powerful back legs. Wallabies use their long tails to help them stay balanced when they hop. They may also strike with their tails to protect themselves from predators. Wallabies have short arms, or forelegs, which they use to groom and balance themselves with and hold branches as they eat.

Fun Facts

Rock wallabies have clumsy back legs that don’t move independently except when swimming

Fun Facts

The lifespan of wallabies varies by species, but ranges from about 7 to 18 years.

Fun Facts

There are about 30 species of wallaby

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Wallabies can be found in Australia and also on the island of New Guinea

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Wallabies powerful hind legs are not only used for bounding at high speeds and jumping great heights, but also to administer vigorous kicks to fend off potential predators

Fun Facts

The top speed of the average wallaby is about 48 kilometers per hour

Fun Facts

Wallabies are most active around dusk and dawn, meaning that the correct term is crepuscular, but they are also classified as nocturnal

Fun Facts

Adult male wallabies are referred to as “bucks”, “boomers”, or “jacks”. An adult female wallaby is known as a “doe”, “flyer”, or “jill”. A group of wallabies is called a “court”, “mob”, or “troupe.”