Is Roo-mance in the air?

Swamp Wallabies (Wallabia bicolor) are mainly solitary creatures, getting together whenever there is something particularly good to eat or it’s mating season. On our property we have noticed four wallabies, each of which has its own range over which it moves and grazes. We rarely see them together. However in the past week or so the wallabies have been congregating. In fact yesterday I saw seven hanging together in the sun on one of the slopes. Either they have all found something delicious to eat in that particular locale or there is Roo-mance in the air. Given the guilty way (that’s my interpretation) they all thumped off in different directions when they saw me, I’m opting for the roo-mance.

Swamp wallabies are genetically different from other wallabies. They are the only remaining member of the genus

Dinner time

Wallabia. They live in dense thickets in forests and usually come out at night to feed. On our property, they hide in the valleys filled with dense Burgan (Kunzea ericoides) scrub.

Part of this group was a female with joey (see picture above). Judging by the size of the pouch passenger this joey is soon to be ejected into the great wide world. The joeys usually stay in the pouch up until the age of 8 or 9 months and thereafter continue to suckle until 15 months. At this age the wallaby is sexually mature and the cycle starts again.

Maybe we will soon hear more thumps of tiny paws. Stay tuned.