Macropods may be symbols of Australia, but their future lies in the dedicated efforts of conservationists worldwide. Learn how Blank Park Zoo in Des Moines, Iowa, as well as conservation centers in Queensland, Australia, help save wallabies and other macropods.
What’s a macropod?
Wallabies belong to a larger group of marsupials known as macropods. Australia is home to 50 species of macropods, including wallabies, kangaroos, wallaroos, quokkas and pademelons. The name “macropod” literally means “big foot” in Greek, a nod to the powerful hind limbs these animals use for hopping.
A group of macropods is known as a mob. Their young, called joeys, are born after a very short gestation and emerge roughly the size of a jellybean. At birth, the joey is furless, blind and only minimally developed. Guided by instinct, it makes the journey on its own, climbing up its mother’s fur and into her pouch, where it latches onto a teat and continues its development.
Macropods also possess a remarkable reproductive strategy known as arrested diapause, or delayed implantation. This allows a female to pause the development of an embryo until conditions are favorable, ensuring that reproduction is carefully timed with environmental resources and the needs of the existing joey.
Wallaby conservation programs
In the U.S., zoos are conserving wallabies as part of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ Species Survival Plan program (SSP). Blank Park Zoo oversees breeding programs for Bennett’s and tammar wallabies. These programs will help shape the future of these species for years to come.
The AZA’s SSPs use this data to manage animal populations across accredited zoos and aquariums. SSPs are led by expert coordinators who work collaboratively with institutions to maximize genetic diversity, balance population demographics and ensure long-term sustainability.
Blank Park Zoo’s wallaby legacy
Blank Park Zoo first acquired wallabies in 1982, starting with a small breeding mob. Just two years later, the zoo celebrated its first joeys. Since then, the program has grown into one of the most significant wallaby efforts in the United States.
Over the past four decades, approximately 180 joeys have been born at Blank Park Zoo. That accounts for nearly one out of every 10 joeys born in the U.S. since 1984. In recent years, the zoo has managed the largest mob of tammar wallabies outside of Australia, as well as one of the largest populations of Bennett’s wallabies in North America. At its peak, the zoo housed more than 30 wallabies at one time.
The zoo’s wallaby area includes two separate mob areas, multiple pens of varying sizes and specialized spaces for medical care, isolation and breeding management. This thoughtful design allows animal care staff to meet the complex social and health needs of wallabies while supporting SSP goals.
Guests experience this success firsthand in the zoo’s large walk-through Australia exhibit, where wallabies can be observed up close. In a barrier-free environment, wallabies are free to roam as they choose, while visitors remain on designated paths. These immersive encounters foster a deeper understanding of the animals while reinforcing the zoo’s role as a leader in animal welfare and management.
Australian wallaby conservation
Due to growing urbanization, Australia’s beloved macropods, including wallabies, are losing habitat. Thankfully, Aussie conservationists are looking out for macropods’ well-being with rescue and rehabilitation centers throughout the country.
While filming Mutual of Omaha’s Wild Kingdom Protecting the Wild, Co-Host Peter Gros visited one such place, Lumholtz Lodge in Queensland. The lodge is a private wildlife preserve owned by a former zookeeper who takes in orphaned animals. Because macropods are marsupials, they rely on their mother’s pouch during the first part of their lives. And if they become orphans, they need extra care.
Most wild animals receiving rehabilitation have extremely limited human contact. This helps them better survive in the wild upon release. But at Lumholtz Lodge, adapting to the wild is a completely different method.
“Her program is called a soft release where literally the doors are open to her house,” Peter said. “So, if a tree kangaroo or wallaby that’s been released to the adjacent forest can’t find food, can’t survive, they come bouncing right back into her living room. It’s the most unique rehabilitation center I’ve ever seen.”
Eventually, the macropods adapt and can feed themselves in the wild. But in the early stages, close contact is essential as it recreates the mother’s pouch.
Watch “Macropod Mania” on Wild Kingdom Protecting the Wild to see wallaby conservation in action.
Wallaby facts
Today, there are about 30 wallaby species living in Australia. Although they look like mini kangaroos, they have some key differences. Wallabies are smaller than kangaroos and have different ear shapes. Kangaroos and wallabies also live in different areas, with kangaroos enjoying life in open grasslands and wallabies living in the forest.
Get to know wallabies at Blank Park Zoo
Blank Park Zoo is home to two wallaby species — the tammar wallaby and the Bennett’s wallaby.
The tammar wallaby is one of the smallest macropods, standing roughly knee-high. It’s also known by several other names, including the dama wallaby, scrub wallaby and Kangaroo Island wallaby.
Despite its small stature, the tammar wallaby boasts some remarkable adaptations. It’s believed to be the only land mammal capable of surviving for extended periods on seawater alone — an extraordinary physiological feat. Females can also produce two different types of milk simultaneously, allowing them to nourish joeys at different developmental stages.
In the wild, tammar wallabies are primarily nocturnal, but in zoos they often become more active during the day. Classified as Least Concern by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), they serve as an excellent ambassador, helping guests learn about marsupials while supporting broader conservation efforts.
The Bennett’s wallaby (Notamacropus rufogriseus) is a medium-sized wallaby native to the more temperate and fertile regions of eastern and southeastern Australia and Tasmania. It’s also known as the red-necked wallaby or King Island wallaby.
Visit Blank Park Zoo in Des Moines, Iowa, to see these wallabies and learn more about the AZA’s Species Survival Plan program.
