The Wallaby,
is one of a large and diverse assemblage of marsupials belonging to
the kangaroo family, but smaller than most kangaroos.
They have large hind-feet, strong
hind-limbs, and a long tail, and move quickly by jumping. The
short-tailed wallaby, or quokka, was once widespread, but is now
mostly restricted to two islands off Australia; it is mainly
nocturnal, emerging to graze on ground vegetation or browse in the
trees after climbing up on to the branches.
The young wallabies are born after
a gestation period of a month or so. The single newborn young is
very small, about 2.5 cm (1 inch) long. After climbing into the
pouch and attaching itself to a teat, the joey remains there for
four to six months. It is not weaned until nine or ten months old.
The female can mate again the day
after birth. If fertilization occurs the resulting embryo develops
for a few days but then remains dormant while the pouch is occupied
by a previous young. Once the pouch is empty the embryo resumes
development and is born twenty to twenty-five days later. There are
some thirty-six species of marsupial which are called wallabies,
which include the tammar, the spectacled hare, and the black
wallaby.
