Adapted to life in the UK
WALLABIES are related to the larger Kangaroo and are part of a group of marsupials called ‘macropods’. They originate in Australia but have easily adapted to life in the UK and can survive our winters.
The animals tend to be more active at night and rest during the day.
When born wallabies are very underdeveloped. They are tiny, blind and have no fur.
A newly born joey will climb up its mother’s fur into a pouch where it will continue to develop.
Inside the pouch it suckles milk from a teat, not letting go until it is big enough to leave the pouch.
As it grows, the milk changes to give it the nourishment it needs at each stage of its development.
When it is big enough, the joey starts to leave the pouch to hop around, but returns to the pouch to feed.
At this stage, the mother gives birth to another joey so that she has one in the pouch attached to a teat and one ‘at foot’ returning to feed from the teat it has always used.
