The red-necked wallaby, also called Bennett's wallaby, is a member of the macropod family. They are smaller than kangaroos and wallaroos and can be easily distinguished by their most characteristic feature - a reddish coat on the shoulders.
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The red-necked wallaby is a macropod marsupial.
It is a medium-sized mammal.
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It is native to the east coast of Australia, with a significant occurrence in Tasmania.
Over the years, it has also been introduced to New Zealand, Ireland, United Kingdom, and France.
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Their typical habitat consists of eucalypt forests, coastal scrub, and woodlands.
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They are mainly solitary animals.
In times of food and water scarcity, they join together in mobs. Mobs consist of up to 30 individuals.
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Blackish muzzles and paws characterize them, they have a white stripe on their upper lip, and their fur is reddish at the shoulders.
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Their long ears can turn 180 degrees independently.
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Their body reaches up to 90 centimeters in length, and their tail can range from 60 to 87 centimeters in length.
Males are larger than females.
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Red-necked wallabies can reach a weight of up to 26 kilograms.
Their average weight is between 14 and 18 kilograms.
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The main diet of a red-necked wallaby consists of herbs and grasses.
In times of drought, they feed on roots, which is their primary water source.
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They are nocturnal animals, being most active at dusk and dawn.
During the day, they rest in darkened places, such as forests and ravines.
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Their main predators include dingoes and wedge-tailed eagles.
They are also hunted commercially for their meat and fur.
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The red-necked wallaby's mating season depends on its habitat.
In mainland Australia, they breed essentially year-round, while the population living in Tasmania breeds between January and July.
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Females of the species reach sexual maturity at about 14 months of age, while males reach sexual maturity at about 19 months.
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The gestation period of a red-necked wallaby is about 30 days.
The joey is born without fur, is blind, is the size of a bean, and weighs less than one gram. After birth, it climbs into the pouch, where it feeds for the next eight to nine months. In rare cases, twin pregnancies occur.
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The young usually emerges from the pouch when it is seven months old.
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Alloparenting is common among red-necked wallabies.
Females often take care of a non-descendant young.
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The life expectancy of a red-necked wallaby in the wild is between nine and 15 years.
Specimens living under human protection, i.e., zoos, usually live up to five years, but many cases are as long-lived as those in the wild.
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They are good swimmers, and their swimming style is similar to that of dogs.
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The population of red-necked wallabies is not threatened, and their numbers are stable.
There have been times when increased human hunting for meat and fur, as well as farmers' treatment of the red-necked wallaby as a threat to crops and sheep food supplies, have led to a significant decline in their population.
