Living With Wildlife
Kangaroo and Wallaby
Family: Macropodidae
Scientific names: Macropus rufus (Red Kangaroo), Macropus antilopinus (Antilopine Wallaroo), Macropus robustus (Euro or Wallaroo), Macropus agilis (Agile Wallaby), Onychogalea unguifera (Northern Nailtail Wallaby), Petrogale lateralis (Black-footed Rock-wallaby)
Kangaroos and Wallabies in the Enviornment
The Northern Territory is currently home to ten kangaroo and wallaby species. The term, ‘kangaroo,’ refers to larger members of this family, whereas the term, ‘wallaby’, typically refers to smaller animals in this species.
Kangaroos and wallabies occupy a diverse range of habitats, including rocky slopes, arid grasslands and monsoon forests.
Male kangaroos and wallabies are typically larger than females, with some males double the size of some females. Breeding is largely determined by food and water availability and may occur year round. Typically, one young is raised on milk for a number of months before emerging from the pouch to feed on grasses and plant matter. Dingoes and wedge-tailed eagles are the primary predators of kangaroos and wallabies, with foxes also likely to prey on smaller species or juveniles. Kangaroos and wallabies have significant cultural and dietary importance to Aboriginal people throughout the Northern Territory and are still regularly hunted today.
Feeding
Kangaroos and wallabies are strictly herbivorous, feeding on a range of grasses, leaves and other foliage plants. Kangaroos and wallabies can travel considerable distances to source seasonal foods and water, often congregating in large numbers around water holes. Animals often feed along road verges, park lands and ovals where new grass growth is stimulated by regular maintenance and mowing.
Threats
Kangaroos and wallabies are common in rural and urban fringe areas. In fact the Agile Wallaby and Red Kangaroo are examples of only a few species in Australia that have benefited from land clearing and irrigated pastoral areas which have supported localised population booms. However, urban kangaroos and wallabies often fall victim to dog attacks and car strikes due to their close proximity to humans.
Not all kangaroo and wallaby species encountered in urban areas are necessarily common. The Black-footed Rock-wallaby is listed as nationally vulnerable. However, the populations that surround Alice Springs are some of the largest in Australia. Predation by feral cats, foxes and wild dogs is believed to have caused several local extinctions in southern wallaby populations, including Uluru.
Interactions With People
In areas occupied by humans, kangaroos and wallabies take advantage of reliable food and water supplies and well irrigated habitats. Kangaroos and wallabies are occasionally considered a nuisance due to their digging and foraging habits that can result in lawn and garden damage.
Kangaroos and wallabies can display unpredictable behaviour and have the potential to injure people or vehicles if scared or harassed. Many kangaroos and wallabies are killed or injured on Territory roads each year, but joeys can often survive such incidences and many are successfully rehabilitated by qualified carers and released back into the wild. However, kangaroos and wallabies do not make good pets and should never be kept long term.
What You Can Do
If you have problems with kangaroos or wallabies in your area there are a number of things that you can try to reduce these problems:
- Install chicken wire or fencing around affected lawn and garden areas to restrict damage.
- Install sensor or flood lights in affected areas in your backyard to deter kangaroos and wallabies.
- Do not feed wild animals - feeding kangaroos and wallabies human food such as bread can lead to major gum infections, other health problems, and even death.
- Remove or restrict water supplies in your backyard.
- Avoid driving at dusk and dawn when kangaroos and wallabies are more active on our roads.
- If you hit a kangaroo or wallaby with your vehicle, you should check its pouch for young and move it at least 10m off the road to avoid predators also being hit or contact your nearest wildlife rescue organisation for assistance.
- Restrict your dog and/or cat movements during the night.
Kangaroos and wallabies are a protected species in the Northern Territory. For this reason, it is important that members of the public do not interfere with these animals without an appropriate permit.
