Red-Necked Wallaby

New Forest Wildlife Park 2023 91

General information

Red-necked Wallabies are mainly grey, with a white chest and belly. But as their name suggests they do have a red tint to the back of their neck and shoulders. A group of wallabies is called a “mob” but this species is mainly solitary, only coming together when food and water sources are in abundance. When a mob comes together, males will become aggressive and box between themselves. Resting throughout the day, red-necked wallabies will be mostly active during the night where they will forage for grasses, shoots, bark and leaves to eat.

Breeding season takes place between December and May, followed by a 30-day gestation period. The female will have one joey at this time, which will immediately crawl up her body to her pouch where it lives and nurses for up to around 7 months. At around 7 months the joey will be big enough to venture out of the mothers pouch but will continue to feed from her for another 5 months. At around 10 to 12 months old the joey will be fully weaned, a female will stay in mum's range potentially her entire life but a male will leave at 2 years old.

New Forest Wildlife Park 2023 89

Latin name - Macropus rufogriseus

Class - Mammalia

Order - Diprotodontia

Family - Macropodidea

IUCN Status - Least concern

Habitat - Broad range of habitats including eucalyptus forests, tall coastal heathlands and pasturelands

Distribution - Endemic to Australia - through the south eastern parts and Tasmania

Average Lifespan

15 years

Threats

Predators, hunted as a pest or harvested for meat.

Fun Fact

Wallaby mothers can have a baby developing in the womb, a newborn in the pouch suckling milk and an older joey, out of the pouch, who still feeds from her (until weaning at around 18 months old) – all at once!

Our Residents

Our bachelor mob consists of 5 adult wallabies; Noonamah, Nagambie, Naracoopa, Narrogin and Narellan,who all joined us in 2021 from Woburn Safari park.

NFWP Lowerres 07945

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