How to Identify a Wallaby

Wallabies are a type of marsupial closely related to the kangaroo. Wallabies and kangaroos are both marsupials called macropods, which means "big foot" and refers to the animals' long feet balanced by a heavy tail. Their kangaroo-like appearance makes wallabies fairly easy to identify. However, if you want to be sure that you've spotted a wallaby, there are a few important facts to know.

Instructions

1. Look for a kangaroo-like appearance. Wallabies look like small kangaroos and share the same defining features, which include an upright posture, muscular hind legs and large feet and a heavy tail for balance.

2. Look for animals about the size of a medium-sized dog. While young wallabies, known as joeys, may be the size of a small rabbit or smaller, and larger varieties of wallaby known as wallaroos may be nearly as large as a kangaroo, most wallabies are medium-sized to small.

3. Observe the animal's coloration. Most varieties of wallaby have a tawny coloration with darker accents around the ears, nose and paws and a white belly. Some animals, however, may be brownish-gray all over or completely white. Different varieties have distinct color variations, such as the yellow-footed rock wallaby, which has yellow feet and a striped tail.

4. Observe the animal's head shape and body proportions. Some large wallabies may be hard to distinguish from a small kangaroo, but wallabies tend to have a more rounded facial structure and less elongated face, as well as shorter forelimbs in relation to body size.

5. Observe the animal's geographical location. If you see the animal in the wild, note the surroundings. Wallabies live throughout Australia and New Zealand, and feral populations also exist in the British Isles, Ireland, Hawaii, but the animals are rarely seen elsewhere except in captivity.

6. Observe the animal's habitat. While different species prefer different habitats, the most prevalent types of wallaby live in trees or among boulders, where they like to climb.

7. Check the time. Most wallabies are nocturnal, so you're much more likely to spot one around dusk.