Common Wallaroo

(Macropus robustus)


Facts

Common Wallaroo IUCN LEAST CONCERN (LC)

 

Facts about this animal

The Eastern Wallaroo is a large stocky kangaroo with a broad chest. The muscular body is held more vertically and they also hop more upright than other kangaroos and wallabies.

 

The forelimbs are large and well-developed, the paws are usually turned down, so the wrist and knuckles face forward. The walaroo has a large black triangular, hairless nose pad.

 

During the day, the wallaroos rest hiding in the shadows afforded by gorges and gaps between rocks. In the evening they venture out onto the slopes for grazing and browsing.

 

Wallaroos reach sexual maturity at around 20 months of age. There are some marked differences in the reproduction physiology between subspecies: the Eastern Grey Wallaroo (Macropus r. robustus) has an oestrus cycle of 33 days, a gestation period of 32 days and a pouch life of some 260 days, and the Euro (Macropus r. erubescens) has an oestrus cycle of 45 days, a gestation period of 34 days and a pouch life of 238 days.

Did you know?
that wallaroos, like other kangaroos and wallabies, are perfectly good swimmers? Strangely enough the roo propels itself in the water by moving the rear legs independently, something it cannot do on land.


 

Factsheet
Class MAMMALIA
Order MARSUPIALIA
Suborder DIPROTODONTIA
Family MACROPODIDAE
Name (Scientific) Macropus robustus
Name (English) Common Wallaroo
Name (French) Wallaroo commun
Name (German) Bergkänguru
Name (Spanish) Ualaru común
Local names Macropus r. erubescens: Euro
CITES Status Not listed
CMS Status Not listed

 

 

Photo Copyright by
Michael Barrit & Karen May

Distribution

 


Distribution
Range Australia: widely distributed on the continent (3 subspecies), and on Barrow Island (M. r. isabellinus)
Habitat Mostly rocky and montaneous areas
Wild population 2,416,285 (2010) (Department of Sustainability , Environment, Water, Population and Communities, Australian Government)
Zoo population 113 reported to ISIS (2008)

In the Zoo

Common Wallaroo

 

How this animal should be transported

For air transport, Container Note 83 of the IATA Live Animals Regulations should be followed.

 

Find this animal on ZooLex

 

Photo Copyright by
Peter Firminger

Why do zoos keep this animal

The wallaroo, like other large kangaroos is a very popular species and therefore serves as ambassador of the Australian fauna.

 

Wallaroos carrying joeys in their pouches are a typical model for the marsupial type of reproduction, i.e. keeping them has also an educational function.

 

The wallaroo is also a species which can be displayed in "Walk-thru" exhibits, allowing for close encounters between animals and people.

 

Australian zoos also may come into the situation to keep wallaroos for animal welfare reasons as they may accept and care for sick, injured or orphaned animals.