Bennett’s Wallaby
Macropus rufogriseus
Type:
Mammal
Life Span
12-15 years
Size
2.5-3 feet
Average Weight
30-50 lbs
Group Name
Mob
Group Size
Sometimes solitary
Name of Young
Joey
Facts
- The Bennett’s wallaby is a medium sized marsupial. The word marsupial comes from the latin word “marsupium” which means pouch.
- They have a keen sense of smell and excellent hearing. Their large ears also help with heat dispersal.
- At first sight of danger, the wallaby will bound away using its long hind legs. Each limb has an elastic tendon that acts like a spring, catapulting the wallaby into the air.
- The wallaby has a long tapering tail used for balance and support while they graze or hop. Their tail also acts like a rudder to quickly change direction when fleeing from predators such as dingoes.
- Wallabies are crepuscular, active at dawn and dusk, or nocturnal, active at night. They tend to be solitary, but may form small groups.
Did You Know?
Like the kangaroo, a wallaby’s gestation period is 30 days. The underdeveloped baby, which is the size of a jelly bean, must crawl up into its mother’s pouch. It will attach to a nipple in the pouch and remains there for several months.
