Tammar Wallaby

Tammar Wallaby

Notamacropus eugenii

Named after the tamma thickets they once commonly inhabited, tammar wallabies–also known as the dama wallaby or the darma wallaby–are the smallest species of wallaby. Like its family member the kangaroo, tammar wallabies are marsupials (pouched mammals) and macropods (meaning “large foot”). Dingoes are their main natural predator, but they are also preyed upon by invasive species like foxes and feral cats that have been introduced to Australia. The tammar wallaby is one of only two macropod species that have a strictly seasonal pattern of breeding; most offspring are born around the same time (typically late January to March), and females can mate again after giving birth and can pause their pregnancy for up to 11 months in a process known as embryonic diapause.

Tammar wallabies are listed as Least Concern by the International Union for Conservation (IUCN), but they continue to face threats of habitat loss due to logging and clear cutting. They were extinct on the south Australian mainland in the 1930s due to hunting, habitat destruction, and invasive species but have since been reintroduced back to the mainland. The IUCN Red List estimates a current population of 10,000 to 50,000 mature individuals.

What are they like?

Physical Description: Tammar wallabies can grow up to 2 feet tall and weigh around 15-20 lbs (males are typically larger than females). They have short fur that is dark gray in color, and they have long tails (15-17 inches) that help provide balance and can act as a third leg while sitting. Wallabies have large feet, small heads compared to the rest of their bodies, and a muscle structure that allows them to hop without using too much energy.

Life Span: In the wild, tammar wallabies generally live less than 10 years. In zoos, they can live 10-14 years.

Diet: Tammar wallabies are herbivores. In the wild, they eat grass, shrubs, and fruit. At the Zoo, our wallabies eat a variety of greens, hay, and commercially made wallaby food.

Social Structure: Wallabies socialize, mate, and feed in groups called mobs, and up to 50 wallabies of all ages and genders can be in one mob. Groups of wallabies can also be known as a "troop" or a "court."

Habitat: Tammar wallabies are nocturnal, spending the daytime hours sheltering in dense, low vegetation and feeding in open grassy areas. They inhabit coastal scrub, heath, dry leafy forest, and thickets in mallee and woodland.