Rare Wallaby Joey’s Journey to Save Species

Waterfall Springs Wildlife Sanctuary on the NSW Central Coast. is today celebrating a major milestone in its quest to help save the critically endangered southern Brush-tailed Rock-wallaby with the transfer of its first captive born southern type joey toTidbinbilla Nature Reserve in the ACT.

She may be barely twelve months old but Vicky, a rare brush-tailed rock-wallaby joey born into Waterfall Spring’s captive breeding program is about to start on the journey to save her species which is under threat of extinction in Victoria.

Vicky who is the first of her kind to be born in captivity in NSW has been named after the state of Victoria where she will eventually be released. The tiny joey has been raised by her mother Darla under close veterinary care in the Sanctuary’s large purpose built environment – a replica of natural rock-wallaby habitat – and is now on her way for a safe return into the wild.

With less than 40 southern brush-tail rock-wallabies in captivity in Australian zoos and only 18 now remaining in the wild in Victoria, every birth is critical in helping to save this iconic Australian mammal.

Waterfall Springs Veterinary Nurse Celia Thomson said the highly intensive captive breeding and translocation method was now crucial to the survival of the species.

Ms Thomson said “It is vitally important that we keep our animal handling and intervention to the absolute minim so the wallabies maintain their natural behaviour. They are conditioned to keep their natural instincts which will give them the best chance of survival in the wild against predators such as foxes and to be able to find food for themselves”.

“We cannot open our doors and show the public the work we are doing to help save these wallabies but this is a community based project and we are excited about sharing our achievements“ she said.

Oblivious to the key role she is destined to play, Vicky will be closely monitored on the next stage of her journey.

Ms Thomson said “she will continue to mature in Tidbinbilla’s protected open range environment before making her final journey to the Grampians National Park in western Victoria where she will be eventually released into the wild population.”

Media contact: Sanctuary Veterinary Manager, Celia Thomson
on 0412 559 273 or Karen O’Mara on 0415 326 762