The Value of Captive Colonies

Although in many areas the wallaby is a pest, it certainly does have a place in New Zealand. It has a value as a tourist attraction in reserves such as Kawau Island, and in captivity it makes an attractive, interesting and educational exhibit in zoos and wildlife parks. No major exhibition of wildlife would be complete without at least one colony of wallabies, and because of their size they are easy to keep and handle. Tame animals can be successfully incorporated into a walk-through or contact area.

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Captive colonies have proved popular for research purposes in Australia and have been used in America (Barker 1971). An Auckland Zoo colony of the rock-wallaby is currently under post-graduate study by the University of Auckland in order to obtain some basic information on territorial and agonistic behaviour prior to a field study on Motutapu Island, and the other colonies are used by undergraduates from various faculties for behavioural study. Plans for a study programme by Zoo staff are currently under way.

Between the two extremes of attitude to the wallaby there must be a compromise, and I suggest that the animal not only has a future as part of New Zealand's mammal fauna, but also makes a most interesting subject for research and a pleasing and entertaining exhibit. It should not be forgotten that the "rediscovery" of the parma wallaby on Kawau Island led to export of stock from New Zealand which established the species in many parts of the world in an attempt to prevent its extinction. Currently the rock-wallaby, a subject of extermination on Motutapu Island, is reported as becoming rare in parts of Australia (Bucher pers. comm.) and certain universities and wildlife parks are currently negotiating the capture and translocation of these animals from the island. Control measures are necessary, but should only be carried out after all aspects have been studied, and this indicates a need for closer communication between those who are interested in captive propagation and the government departments with an interest in wallabies.