The Cape Martin Wallaby

Last time Jan and I were in beachport we were amazed to see a “roo” when we ventured onto the island that is Cape Martin ( it used to be a cape but is now separated from the mainland by a small channel ). Cape Martin is the main bit of land in the pic below, and you can see the channel in the top of the image.

This year, the Strugnell team discovered lots of tracks going to and from the island suggesting the the mysterious roo was actually crossing the treacherous channel at night to feed. Considering how sharp the rocks are and how the only causeway across is regularly swept by waves and covered in slippery kelp, it was amazing to think of a roo making it across … but the tracks in the sand seemed pretty conclusive. We wanted to have a look at the roo to see what type it was … and luckily we got a good (though distant) look at it one day when we were walking past the beach near the channel to Cape Martin. I got so curious from this that I decided to go over and have a look … and luckily enough I got quite close and took a photo. Our friend Carl tells us that it’s a Swamp Wallaby ( wallabia bicolor ). Apparently Swamp Wallabies are the only remaining member of the genus wallabia, other wallabies actually being macropus. From the photo it looks like our Swamp Wallaby is actually a female with a joey in the pouch! So maybe next time we go back there will be two … hopefully it’s not an example of an Australian Native animal “gone invasive” … having just read Tim Low’s book “New Nature”, I’m a bit jumpy about such things.