# Swamp Wallaby (*Wallabia bicolor*) The Swamp Wallaby is a small kangaroo that loves to hop around in the wetlands. They have dark fur and a cute, fluffy tail. These wallabies are great at jumping and can move quickly when they need to! - **Category:** [Mammals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/mammal) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Wetlands ![Swamp Wallaby](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Swamp-Wallaby-Feeding-3%252C-Vic%252C-Jan.2008.jpg&width=800) Photo: jjron, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Swamp-Wallaby-Feeding-3%252C-Vic%252C-Jan.2008.jpg) ## Appearance The Swamp Wallaby is characterized by its dark, coarse fur, typically dark brown to black on its back with a contrasting reddish-orange or yellowish underside. It has a long, thick, and almost black tail, which helps distinguish it from lighter-colored wallaby species. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Mammalia - **Order:** Diprotodontia - **Family:** Macropodidae - **Genus:** Wallabia ## Interesting facts - Swamp wallabies often move with a peculiar, hunched-over gait. - They can sometimes be found resting in dense sugarcane fields! - They're sometimes called "Black Wallaby" due to their very dark fur! - Unlike most kangaroos, they can reproduce all year round! ## Special abilities - **Double Duty Mom:** Swamp Wallaby can carry two babies at different stages because of unique reproduction that helps them always have a joey ready! - **Iron Stomach:** Swamp Wallaby can digest tough, fibrous plants, and even some toxic ones because of specialized gut bacteria that helps them eat what others can't. - **Bush Master:** Swamp Wallaby has powerful hind legs and a strong tail that helps them crash through thick vegetation with ease. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 66-85 cm - **Weight:** 13-23 kg - **Lifespan:** 8-15 years - **Speed:** 35 km/h - **Litter Size:** 1 - **Gestation:** 33-38 days ## Diet & Feeding This wallaby munches on a variety of plants, including grasses, leaves, and tough shrubs! - **Age differences:** Young joeys drink milk from their mother before gradually switching to plants. - **Primary Foods:** grasses, ferns, shrubs, eucalypt leaves, fungi - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** Dingo (*Canis dingo*) — A primary predator, especially for young or weaker wallabies. - **Eaten by:** Wedge-tailed Eagle (*Aquila audax*) — Large birds of prey can hunt young wallabies. - **Eats:** [Bracken Fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/bracken-fern) (*Pteridium esculentum*) — A common food source, despite its toxicity to some animals. - **Eaten by:** Feral Cat (*Felis catus*) — Introduced predators are a threat, especially to joeys. ## Traits - [Furry](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/furry): Furry describes animals possessing a dense covering of soft hair or fur. - [Solitary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/solitary): Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Wetland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wetland): This habitat trait identifies species found in wetlands, which are areas of land saturated with water, either permanently or seasonally, including marshes, swamps, and bogs. - [Diurnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/diurnal): Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night. - [Speedster](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/speedster): This trait identifies organisms that exhibit exceptional swiftness in movement for hunting, escape, or travel. ## Collections - [Mammals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/mammals) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always watch from a distance and don't try to touch wild animals. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Swamp Wallaby? Compare ears, muzzle, tail, feet and coat markings. Size is hard to judge without something nearby for scale, and young mammals may not have adult coloring yet. Mammal Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Swamp Wallaby? 66-85 cm ### How much does Swamp Wallaby weigh? 13-23 kg ### How long does Swamp Wallaby live? 8-15 years ### How fast can Swamp Wallaby move? 35 km/h ### What does Swamp Wallaby eat? This wallaby munches on a variety of plants, including grasses, leaves, and tough shrubs! ### Where is Swamp Wallaby usually found? Wetlands ### How does Swamp Wallaby hunt? Foraging ## More Mammals - [Eastern Fox Squirrel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-fox-squirrel) (*Sciurus niger*) - [Eastern Cottontail](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-cottontail) (*Sylvilagus floridanus*) - [Eastern Chipmunk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-chipmunk) (*Tamias striatus*) - [California Ground Squirrel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/california-ground-squirrel) (*Otospermophilus beecheyi*) --- Source: [Swamp Wallaby: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/swamp-wallaby)