Red-Necked Wallaby
Macropus rufogriseus
- IUCN StatusLeast Concern.
- PopulationUnknown
- DietVegetarian. Variety of shrubs, grasses, bushes, bark, leaves and available fruit and vegetables.
- GroupMob
- Size93 to 105 cm
- ContinentOceania
- Lifespan4-8 years
- Weight11 to 26 kg
- HabitatRainforests to marshes, brackish wetlands, swamps and seasonally, flooded, grassland and savanna.
- Scientific NameMacropus rufogriseus
Meet the Red-Necked Wallaby
The red-necked wallaby or Bennett's wallaby (Macropus rufogriseus) is a medium sized macropod marsupial common in the more temperate and fertile parts of eastern Australia including Tasmania.
Red-necked wallabies have been introduced to several other countries, including New Zealand, England, Scotland, Ireland, France and the Isle of Man, where they have established wild colonies.
Red-necked wallabies are members of the genus Macropus, meaning "long foot," they are very closely related to kangaroos and wallaroos, though wallabies tend to be smaller. With their powerful legs and tapered tails, macropods are well known for their hopping skills. Like all macropods, wallabies have very small or even non-existent vocal cords.
Wallabies are some of the few animals that are capable of having three offspring at various stages of life all at once; they can have a joey which has left the pouch, but is still feeding, while having a young joey in the pouch, and can be pregnant.
Red-necked wallabies eat a variety of shrubs, grasses, bushes, bark, leaves and available fruit and vegetables.
These animals are mainly nocturnal, grazing at night and resting during the day, sunbathing in the sun.
Introducing....
our mob of red-necked wallabies at Wolds Wildlife Park
Did you know?
Read on for more facts about these antipodean marsupials.
What are male, female and baby red neck wallabies called?
The red-necked wallaby males are called boomers, bucks, or jacks, and females are called flyers, does, and jills.
A baby red-necked wallaby is called a joey.
Are red-necked wallabies social animals?
Red-necked wallabies are mainly solitary but will gather together when there is an abundance of resources such as food, water or shelter. When they do gather in groups, they have a social hierarchy similar to other wallaby species, these groups are called mobs and will consist of up to 30 individuals.
The males are aggressive towards each other and fight by “boxing” well after becoming fully mature.
How long does a joey red-necked wallaby live in its mothers pouch?
The joey's usually emerge from their mothers pouches when they are seven months old
Can wallabies swim?
Yes!
This species of wallaby is a good swimmer and their swimming style is very similar to doggy paddle.
A wallaby is a marsupial - what does this mean?
The word marsupial comes from the Latin word “marsupium,” which means pouch.
Female kangaroos, wallaroos and wallabies use their pouches to carry their offspring.
Immediately after being born the "joeys" weigh only 2 grams and are underdeveloped, blind and helpless, however, they are able to crawl up their mothers fur in to her pouch. They will continue to develop in her pouch and eventually emerge after approximately seven months, a fully formed baby wallaby.
