Tammar Wallaby - Macropus eugenii decres

decres = L’Isle Decres (Kangaroo Island as named by Nicolas Baudin)

There are 3 subspecies of this small wallaby: Macropus eugenii eugenii on mainland South Australia; Macropus eugenii derbianus in Western Australia and Macropus eugenii decres on Kangaroo Island.

The Tammar's at Wirrimbirra originate from a University project to study the Kangaroo Island population to help save it from extinction.

The Tammar Wallaby is one of the smallest wallabies in the Macropus genus (the big kangaroo genus).
It has a very curious breeding cycle. The young are born in late January. Within a few hours of giving birth the female mates and the resulting embryo remains quiescent (like suspended animation) during lactation. This amazing biological process is called 'embryonic diapause'. Typically the quiescent embryos are re-activated within a few days of the summer solstice (depending on availability of water and nutrients) and the young are born about 25 days later, 12 months after the mating at which they were conceived.

The joey is suckled in the pouch for 8 - 9 months so that most leave the pouch in September or October. If fresh water is not available for the young to drink, amazingly, this species can survive by drinking sea water. Their kidneys must be extraordinarily efficient!!

The other wonderful fact about Tammar Wallabies is the way they control their numbers. If the mother decides that the colony is large enough then just before the young is independent, the mother takes it off and deserts it, thus waiting till the last possible moment to make such an important decision.

Click on the photo for a larger (slower) image.
 

Some information courtesy of: http://www.environment.sa.gov.au/biodiversity/tammar.html#captive_breeding