Report a wallaby sighting

We need your help to get rid of this pest. Report any wallaby kills or sightings through this form or by calling us at 0800 474 082.

Bennett's wallaby, often called red-necked wallaby, is a marsupial (a mammal that carries its joeys in a pouch) native to Tasmania, Australia. Bennett’s wallabies were introduced to South Canterbury in 1874 for recreational hunting, and by the 1940s, they had become a significant pest.

Wallabies have the potential to significantly impact Otago’s economy and biodiversity. They are elusive nocturnal animals that feed in the open at night and seek cover during the day.

Wallabies compete with livestock for food, with three wallabies eating as much as one stock unit. They can foul pasture, damage fences, destroy agricultural crops, contribute to erosion and kill plantation forest seedlings. Wallabies also stop native bush regeneration.

They can breed from about 24 months old. A female wallaby can have one joey developing in her pouch while also carrying another fertilised embryo ‘on hold’ until the joey is no longer dependent on her — a single female could mean a breeding population of three.

• Size: Stand up to 80 centimetres with a tail length around 62 centimetres. Males can reach over 20 kilograms in weight, with females reaching 14 kilograms.
• Appearance: Grey, brown with reddish-brown shoulders and neck, and black-tipped hind feet and tail.
• Signs: They leave distinctive tracks; however, it is unusual for fully formed prints of the whole feet to be left at a site. Creek crossings, bare-ground tracks or clay slips are the best places to look. Sometimes a tail drag mark can be seen on very soft ground or in snow. Their scat (poo) is a good indication that wallabies have been in an area. It is often pelleted and found in clumps, normally coarse in texture with vegetation fibres visible.
• Similar species: In Aotearoa New Zealand there are five species of wallaby. Bennett’s wallaby is found in the South Island, while dama, parma, brush-tailed rock, and swamp wallaby are only found in the North Island. Hares, deer, and possums can appear similar when moving quickly.
• Habitat: Edges of dense scrub, pine plantations, native bush and heavy snow tussock are where they take refuge during the day. They feed along the edges of open areas of grasslands at night. They can be found anywhere below 2000 metres above sea level.

The best times to spot Bennett’s wallabies are at dawn and dusk, when they emerge to forage, particularly in open pasture or near ridgelines. During the day, they rest in dense cover, such as forest, scrub, or tall tussock, before venturing out at night to feed in open areas.

Bennett's wallabies occupy approximately 450,000 hectares of land in South Canterbury, centred in the Hunters Hills but also including the Two Thumb Range and the Kirkleston and Grampian mountains. Populations also occur in Kakahu Forest near Geraldine and Pioneer Park south-east of Fairlie. However, despite efforts in Canterbury to contain this species, they have spread into North Otago.

This map shows areas in Otago and some areas in Canterbury outside of the containment zone where wallabies have been spotted as of May 2022.

The video is a digital flyover view of wallaby sightings in Otago and Canterbury from 2012 to 2022.

Red markers = Wallabies reported killed
Blue markers = Sighting or sign of wallabies reported

1. Everyone in Otago must destroy all Bennett's wallaby on the land they occupy.
2. Any person who sees or suspects the presence of Bennett's wallaby, whether dead or alive, anywhere in Otago, must immediately report the pest's presence and location to the ORC. This is required even if the Bennett's wallaby is destroyed. You can do this by calling us on 0800 474 082 or filling in this form on reportwallabies.nz.
3. No one, other than an Authorised Person, shall keep, hold, enclose or otherwise harbour any Bennett's wallaby. The reason for this rule is to prevent humans actively attempting to establish a wallaby population in Otago.

These three rules are to prevent wallabies from becoming established in the region and causing negative effects on economic and environmental values.

There is one rule for wallabies that applies to the site-led areas, which is that no one can keep, hold, enclose or otherwise harbour wallabies in any place, either in transit to or present in these areas.

We need your help to get rid of this pest. Report any wallaby kills or sightings through this form or by calling us on 0800 474 082.

Control is a shared responsibility between ORC and land occupiers. This will allow flexibility in designing the most effective and efficient control mechanisms to be used.

Shooting is the most effective form of control. Poison (using striker bait) is the best option for large numbers.

Occupiers are required to control Bennett's wallaby on their land where this can be done quickly and effectively. We understand that this can sometimes be difficult due to their range and low population numbers in Otago. So, if you see a Bennett's wallaby, but you are not able to destroy it, you must report the sighting immediately to ORC. We will then either support you in destroying the wallaby or undertake the control work ourselves.

Authorised Person – For the purposes of our pest plan an authorised person is a warranted officer under the Biosecurity Act, for example one of our biosecurity officers.

Land occupier – An occupier is the person who physically occupies the place, the owner of the place and any agent, employee, or other person acting or apparently acting in the general management or control of the place. For example, if you are renting a house owned by someone else that does not live on that property, you are the occupier. You can see more about the responsibilities of occupiers (including owners) in 3.3.1 section 3.3.1 of the pest plan.

orc.govt.nz/wallaby