Small and medium-sized relatives of the kangaroo. “Wallaby” is an informal name for any macropod smaller than a kangaroo or wallaroo. Introduced populations live in New Zealand, Hawaii and the UK.
Quick answers
What is it?Mammal
Carnivore?No, herbivore
Dangerous?No
Domesticated?No
Awake when?Night
Hibernates?No
Kept as a pet?No
Do people eat it?In places
Hunted for meat and fur.
At a glance
Found inAustralia, New Guinea
HabitatForest, Grassland, Scrub, Mountains
ColoursGrey, Brown, Red
SizeMedium
Length45–105 cm, plus a 33–75 cm tail (brush wallabies)
Legs2
Covered inFur
Lives ingroups
Lives for10–15 years
Can swim
In the wild
- Where it lives
- Australia and New Guinea; introduced to New Zealand, Hawaii and the UK.
Did you know
Any kangaroo relative smaller than a kangaroo or wallaroo is called a wallaby.
There are 19 species of rock-wallaby, which live among rocks, usually near water.
Often confused with
- Kangaroo
“Kangaroo” means the four largest species of the family; smaller ones are usually called wallabies.
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