These little critters are Allied Rock Wallabies. They are an endangered species that exist only on a few islands off the Queensland coast near Townsville. Dogs, cats and foxes have eaten all of the ones that lived on the mainland. We found a group of 20 or so of these living in a big rocky area near an old wharf on Magnetic Island. The mother wallaby in the main picture if full size, about 70cm from nose to tail. The joey in her pouch is one of the cutest critters I have ever seen. The wallabies were not scared of the Oldies because people feed them a special mix that you can buy from shops on the island. It took a bit of work to convince them that I wasn't a ferocious carnivore, but eventually they came down for a chat and I am now welcome to visit their rock pile whenever I am passing.
Labels: animals, Queensland, Townsville
# posted by Bart Bear @ 4:09 pm
