Dama wallaby Macropus eugenii

Footprints and Tracks

Paws and feet

The most commonly seen dama wallaby footprints are made by the front third of the hind feet. The hind feet are about 150 mm long in total. Dama wallaby have three toes on each of the hind feet but usually only the larger middle toe that points straight ahead and the smaller peripheral (outer) toe show in distinctive two-pronged prints. The small inner-most toe bears little weight and is used for grooming.

Dama wallaby footprints are usually side by side; hopping on their hind feet when moving at speed, with their fore-paws and tail held clear of the ground. When grazing, or moving slowly, dama wallaby adopt a 'penta-pedal' gait using all four feet as well as their tail. When moving forward in this manner they support their weight with their tail and forepaws while they move their hind feet forward. This is normally the only time that the tail, the five-digit fore-paws and the whole of the rear feet will leave prints and the distance between the hind feet will be greater than when they are moving at speed.

Can be confused with:

In the Bay of Plenty a clear dama wallaby footprint is unlikely to be confused with any other species (except on Kawau Island where other wallaby species also occur) but a faint or partial footprint (e.g. only one toe or only the claws) on a hard surface could be confused with a deer, sheep or goat print or possibly a large bird such as a turkey.

Trails and Runs

Dama wallabies tend to move between feeding areas (pasture and forest clearings or edge) and areas of denser cover on a daily basis. Consequently they create obvious ‘pad runs’ that are narrow, well-formed tracks leading between these areas. These are usually most obvious where wallabies push through or under fences along forest/pasture boundaries.

Can be confused with:

Dama wallaby trails in forest and pasture could be confused with trails created by possums or livestock, deer, pigs and feral goats. In some areas it is likely that trails are created by multiple species using them.

Dens and nests

Dama wallabies are primarily nocturnal (come out during the night) and they rest during the day in forest or scrub. They often live in small groups consisting of a dominant male along with subordinate males, females and juveniles. Nesting sites may show multiple body imprints.

Can be confused with:

Dama wallaby nest sites could be confused with those of deer. Check for distinguishing footprints and hair.

Vegetation Damage

Understorey (less than 3m)

Due to the small size of dama wallaby (height about 0.5 m), they typically browse the leaves of seedlings, saplings, grasses and ferns that are below 1 m. The leaves are often bitten in half and resemble browse from other introduced mammals. They eat many native species including kamahi (Weinmannia racemosa), māhoe (Melicytus ramiflorus), Coprosma spp, Mānuka/kānuka, ferns, supplejack (Ripogonum scandens), and broadleaf (Griselinia sp.)

Vegetation surveys near Rotorua have shown that hangehange (Geniostoma ligustrifolium), kotukutuku (Fuchsia excorticata), raurēkau (Coprosma grandifolia), karamū (Coprosma robusta), pate (Schefflera digitata) and five finger (Pseudopanax arboreus) are particularly heavily browsed by dama wallabies. Where dama wallabies have access to pasture or grassed clearing a high percentage of their diet consists of pasture species therefore they are considered potential pasture pests.  They occasionally damage to pine and eucalyptus seedlings.

Can be confused with:

Understorey browse by dama wallabies can be confused with browse by deer, feral goats and livestock.

Plant leaves

Due to the small size of dama wallaby (height about 0.5 m), they typically browse seedlings, saplings ferns and grasses that are below 1 m. Like other herbivorous mammals they can bite off part of a leaf, or a whole leaf. The feeding sign is not particularly distinctive.

Can be confused with:

Leaf browse by dama wallabies can be confused with browse by deer, feral goats and livestock.

Fruits and Flowers

In Australia, dama wallabies are known to feed on acacia seeds but in New Zealand there is no information about the extent to which they eat fruit and flowers.

Kill Sign

Kill sign is not applicable because dama wallaby are herbivores (eat plants only).

Other Clues

Distribution

The largest – and still expanding – population of dama wallabies in New Zealand is around the Rotorua lakes. They occupy most of the land area east of Rotorua west of Kawerau. They have spread north to Pongakawa and south the Paeroa Range. They occurwest of Rotorua on Mt Ngongotaha into the Mamaku Range.  Dama wallaby are also found on Kawau Island. The only other species of wallaby to occur on mainland New Zealand, is the much larger Bennett’s wallaby (M. rufogriseus) which can be found inland from Timaru in the South Island.

Can be confused with:

Sound

Dama wallabies will thump their hind feet when disturbed and their hind feet make a distinctive sound as they flee from danger. Females can make a deep screeching sound, particularly when separated from their young.

Can be confused with:

Dama wallaby foot thumping could be confused with the foot thumping of other introduced wallaby species where their distributions overlap (i.e. on Kawau Island).  Deer species, feral goats and sheep also sometimes stomp their feet.

Body covering

Dama wallaby fur is mostly grey-brown, paler in the abdomen and chest areas, with rufous (reddish) shoulders.

Can be confused with:

Dama wallaby fur found in the field could be confused with that of other introduced wallaby species where their distributions overlap (i.e. on Kawau Island), and with the fur of some other mammal species. Wallaby fur should be easily distinguishable from the coarse guard hairs of deer, which have a comparatively large diameter.

Eye shine

Dama wallaby eye-shine is  greenish-yellow in colour.

Can be confused with:

Dama wallaby eye-shine could be confused with eye-shine from cattle or deer and, on Kawau Island, with that of other wallaby species there.