Red-Necked Wallaby (Notamacropus rufogriseus) lives in temperate forests across Eastern Australia, Tasmania. Its conservation status is Least Concern.
Fascinating facts about the Red-Necked Wallaby
- In New Zealand's Canterbury Region wallabies now roam roughly 350,000 ha of scrub and pasture, a range the size of a small country. The population began after several Bennett's wallabies were shipped from Tasmania to Christchurch in 1870 and later released at Te Waimate and the Hunters Hills. Over the decades their numbers have dramatically increased, now covering the Hunters Hills, Two Thumb Range, Kirkliston Range and the Grampians.
- A 2023 drone survey on the Isle of Man counted an average of 568 wallabies across 400 ha, giving a density of 140 per km². The researchers carried out two nocturnal surveys over consecutive nights to obtain the count.
- A female red-necked wallaby remains in estrus for exactly 33 days before mating, a precise reproductive window uncommon among marsupials. During courting the female first licks the male's neck, after which the male rubs his cheek against hers. They then engage in a brief upright fight, similar to two males, before finally mating, and the pair stays together for only one day before separating.
- Red-necked wallaby joeys remain tucked inside their mother's pouch for roughly 280 days, almost ten months of protected growth. After emerging they continue to cling to their mother for about a month before becoming independent. Females often stay within their mother's home range for life, while males leave when they are two years old. This extended maternal care helps the young survive the harsh nocturnal foraging environment.
- Red-necked wallabies can live up to nine years, a relatively long lifespan for a medium-sized macropod. Adults typically weigh between 13.8 and 18.6 kilograms and measure about 90 centimetres from head to body. Males are generally larger than females, reflecting the species' modest sexual dimorphism. Such longevity allows individuals to experience multiple breeding seasons throughout their lives.
Sources
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At a glance
RangeEastern Australia, Tasmania
HabitatTemperate forests
DietGrass and leaves
About the Red-Necked Wallaby
In the sun-drenched expanses of Australia's eastern coast, the red-necked wallaby moves with a quiet confidence, its rust-hued fur blending seamlessly into the rustling underbrush as it bounds effortlessly across the landscape. With each powerful leap, its muscular hind legs propel it forward, a testament to the remarkable adaptability that has allowed this wallaby to thrive in a wide range of habitats, from coastal dunes to mountain forests. As it pauses to nibble on a tender shoot, its large, dark eyes seem to hold a deep wisdom, a sense of ancient connection to this land that has been its home for millennia.
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