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Macropus rufogriseus
Red-necked Wallabies are distinguished by their black nose and paws, white stripe on the upper lip, and grizzled medium grey coat with a reddish wash across the shoulders. They can weigh 13.80 to 18.60 kg and attain a head-body length of 90 cm, although males are generally bigger than females.
Bonorong wildlife park. It would be rare to see females with pouch young during the day outside of a wildlife park.
Spotted on Sep 1, 2005
Submitted on Aug 27, 2011
10 Comments
You're welcome William. Marsupials are fascinating. A female wallaby can have one fetus gestating in her womb, another latched on to a teat in the pouch, and a third still nursing. If she is stressed, she can jettison the pouch young and stop the in-utero one developing further. And then start up the fetal development again when the time is right. A placental female has lots fewer options.
Amazing critter and thanks for the inside on the pouch.
Wow, you were great on explaining it, thank you :-) that's really interesting, wonderful animals
Females weigh about 11 kilos (24.2 pounds), males can weigh over 20 kilos. Young stay in the pouch for nine months, and are weaned at about seventeen months. Marsupials are born very vestigial, and tiny, with no discernible rear limbs. They use their fore-limbs to climb from the vaginal opening up to and into the pouch where they latch on to a nipple (their mouths actually fuse to the nipple). They start leaving the pouch at around six months. I'm not sure how heavy they are when they finally leave the pouch, but I'd guess they're around 3 kilos (but very leggy).
That's great! I'm not very informed on everything about these animals, but do you know the weight of the "baby" and how long can they stay there before going away on their own?
Hahahahah....... that's really look funny! the feet are sticking out as well. What a baby. the pouch gone a bit small for the baby already. My salute to all the wallaby mommy's the hard work and devotion...wow. Thank you so much lori.tas.
I found another photo, Gina. That's the joey's tail sticking out over its shoulder.
hahahahah.... I can imagine that really looks funny to see. amazing creatures, your luck its just around you there.
I love the pouch young at this size because they get out and hop around on their own, and then throw themselves back in the pouch whenever they need a rest, or to nurse, often with the tail and a hind leg still sticking out.
Hi lori.tas, its a mommy wallaby! she looks really short the pouch seems touching the ground already, and the baby! a large baby! Thank you for sharing this picture. I found the male cute bit I think the female are even cuter.