Common Name: Wallaby
Scientific Classification:
Kingdom: Animalia
Class: Mammalia
Order: Diprotodontia
Family: Macropodidae (“big-footed” marsupials)
Genera/Species: 30+ species of wallabies (e.g., swamp wallaby Wallabia bicolor, red-necked wallaby Notamacropus rufogriseus, agile wallaby Notamacropus agilis)
Origin/Range: Native to Australia, Tasmania, and New Guinea
Habitat: Forests, grasslands, woodlands, shrublands, rocky outcrops depending on species
Size: Small to medium compared to kangaroos
Length: 45–105 cm (18–41 in) body; tail 33–75 cm (13–30 in)
Weight: 2–24 kg (4–53 lbs), depending on species
Build:
Powerful hind legs for hopping
Long, thick tail for balance
Smaller head than kangaroos
Coat: Dense fur, varying by species (gray, brown, red, black, or patterned)
Lifespan: 9–15 years in the wild; up to 20 years in captivity
Activity: Mostly nocturnal or crepuscular (active at dawn/dusk)
Social Structure:
Some species solitary (e.g., swamp wallaby)
Others live in groups called mobs
Locomotion: Hopping powered by hind legs; can leap long distances and swim well
Communication: Through body posture, thumping tails as warnings, and soft growls/clicks
Type: Herbivores (grazers and browsers)
Foods: Grasses, leaves, herbs, fruits, bark, and shoots
Adaptations: Chambered stomach for fermenting fibrous plants, similar to cows
Breeding: Varies by species, often year-round in good conditions
Gestation Period: ~30 days
Birth: Joeys are born tiny and underdeveloped (size of a jellybean)
Development:
Joey crawls into mother’s pouch immediately after birth
Remains in pouch for 6–9 months
Continues nursing outside the pouch until 12–18 months
Unique Adaptation: Females can have 3 young at once:
One developing embryo (delayed implantation)
One joey in the pouch
One older joey still suckling
