Wallaroos might sound like a man made hybrid between a kangaroo and a wallaby, but they are a unique species all of their own, and in this weeks video we visit some of these iconic marsupials.
There are three species of Wallaroo in Australia. The Black Wallaroo, the antilopine Wallaroo and the Common Wallaroo, of which there is several sub species.
Although genetically distinct from both kangaroos and wallabies wallaroos do share many traits in common with both of their macropod cousins.
Like wallabies, wallaroos prefer wooded, hilly, or rocky habitats rarther then open plains and grass lands, and they only form loose social bonds rarther then the tight knit mobs of kangaroos.
Unlike wallabies however they live mostly on grasses rarther then browsing which is distinctly kangaroo like.
While the Wallaroo might be less well known then kangaroos or wallabies, the common Wallaroo is actually Australia’s most wide spread macropod, being found everywhere in australia except for victoria and Tasmania and numbering roughly 4 million. Unfortunately one of the subspecies of Wallaroo, the Barrow Island Wallaroo numbers only 1800 making it about as endangered as the panda.
Most of the wallaroos natural range is incredibly dry and a harsh environment so the Wallaroo has evolved some key traits to help it survive. It has extremely efficient kidneys which produce highly concentrated urine and is also produced incredibly dry droppings as to minimise water loss
Wallaroos also mate the day after they give birth and can freeze their pregnancy at 100 cells until their is room in the pouch, meaning that they can be almost permanently pregnant
