Social System

Whiptail Wallaby

The whiptail wallaby population of an area is composed of mobs of 30 to 50 individuals. The mob has a home range, but not all of the individuals in the mob are together at all times. Smaller groups may break off and reconvene later. All these subgroups will remain in the mob’s home range (Kaufman 1974a). The home ranges of M. parryi range from 71-110 hectares (Nowak 2005). The most likely time for all the individuals of one mob to be together is at a favorite feeding site, late in the afternoon. The home ranges of adjacent mobs may overlap slightly (Kaufman 1974a). Whiptail wallabies are vigilant. When most members of the group are resting, at least one individual watches at all times (Kaufman 1974b).

Whiptail wallaby. photo used with permission from http://homepage.mac.com/keithdavey/macropods/whiptail-wallaby-178.htm

There is a loose linear dominance hierarchy amongst the males of a mob, mainly to determine which individuals mate. This hierarchy is perpetuated by ritualized fighting amongst the males and is used to determine the priority of access to females in estrus (Kaufman 1974a). Hierarchies are determined by non-violent, ritualized bouts of ‘pawing’ (Nowak). Unlike other species of macropod, the whiptail wallaby males rely on recognition of the other individual, not just comparing his size when gauging a potential encounter (Ganslosser 1989). Another sign of dominance performed by males is grass-pulling. They pull grass both to intimidate other males, and also to court females. Other courtship behaviors include head bobbing, tail lashing, tail swishing, chasing, self-grooming and clucking. To show dominance, whiptails will use superiority displays including the ‘stiff-legged walk’ where the animal walks slowly and stiffly around its opponent in a crouch. Kicking is used in fights. Whiptails cough to show submission (Kaufman 1974b).

No long term pair bonds exist in whiptail wallabies. When individuals meet, they touch noses as a common greeting (Kaufman 1974a).

Whiptail Wallaby. photo used with permission from http://www.abberton.org/birds2003.htm

Red-necked Wallaby

The red-necked wallaby is generally solitary, but aggregates when there is an abundance of a certain resource (food, water, shelter) (Nowak 2005). McEvoy reported that in his studies of the species, the only social associations seen were between females and offspring or females and their mates – both of these associations were brief. Females and offspring separate one month after the joey permanently leaves the pouch (McEvoy 1970). Female red-necked wallabies settle in their mother's home ranges for life, apparently for life - while males disperse at two years of age (Johnson 1986).  Mated pairs only stay together for a 24-hour period, and then separate (McEvoy 1970). Home ranges are typically located in places which provide ample cover close to open areas used for feeding (Johnson 1987). It appears that although the red-necked wallabies are generally solitary, they still exhibit similar social structure to other, more gregarious, wallaby species when they do aggregate (Johnson 1989). 

Red-necked wallaby. photo used with permission from http://www.wiresnr.org/wallabies.html

The authors believe that macropod home range size and social organization are more closely correlated with variation in productivity, and less related to body size, diet, density, or group size. My specific wallaby species are not mentioned, but this hypothesis applies to all macropods (Fisher 2000). Generally, medium and large adult males will feed together in peace, but the large adults will attack the medium-sized ones if they are in the way or the medium-sized males attract too much attention (Johnson 1987). 

Red-necked wallaby. photo used with permission from http://www.wiresnr.org/wallabies.html

Home - - - Habitat - - - Mating System - - - Maternal Care - - - References

This website was completed in partial fufillment of the requirements for Biology 323, Animal Behavior, at Davidson College in the Spring Semester 2007.