• The name “wallaby” comes from the Eora Aboriginal tribe, who were the original inhabitants of the Sydney, Australia area.
• Wallabies live throughout Australia, New Zealand, and New Guinea. There are also a few populations of wallabies in the British Isles (descendants of zoo escapees).
• Essentially, a wallaby is any macropod that isn't considered large enough to be a kangaroo and has not been given some other name. There is no fixed dividing line. Wallabies are smaller and generally have a stockier build than a kangaroo.
• There are 30 different types of wallabies that live in many types of habitats, including rocky areas, grasslands, forests and swamps.
• Wallabies are herbivores, and the bulk of their diet is grasses and plants. Their elongated faces leave plenty of jaw room for the large, flat teeth necessary to chew their vegetarian meals.
• Young wallabies are called joeys.
• The adult male wallaby is called a buck, boomer or jack, while the adult female wallaby is called a doe, flyer or jill.
• A group of wallabies is called a mob, troup or court.
• Hopping is a fast and energy efficient method of travel, designed to cover huge distances in a land that offers little food or water. But while they’re good at moving forwards, Wallabies can’t hop backwards.
• Most macropods are nocturnal, moving about and looking for food at night. Some are particularly active during the early morning or late evening hours. Few are active during the day – they often spend the day resting in the shade.