Red-necked Wallaby

More about red-necked wallabies......

Native to Australia and Tasmania, red-necked wallabies are primarily a grazer which feed on mostly grasses, broad-leafed plants and herbs. Unfortunately, this is their downfall, as farmers often hunt the wallabies as they see them as a threat to their farmland, intended for farm animals to graze upon.

Reproduction occurs year-round, although breeding season is between January and February. The gestation period is 28 days, once sexual maturity has been reached. One baby, also known as a joey, is born per season. Both males and females carry the joey in their pouch until they are seven months old. It is not uncommon for joeys to return to the pouch even when they are a year and a half old. If this happens and the mother is pregnant again, the development of the new joey will pause until the older one leaves. This is known as embryonic diapause.

Communication happens through a number of vocalisations, which include hissing, snorting and clicking. Body language is also very important, and this can look like freezing in place or thumping on the ground.