We like to think that we know everything about the world around us. Most of the plants and animals we see have been described by science, categorised into biological compartments complete with Latin name, scientific description and stuffed specimen in a museum. But life is full of surprises and sometimes a new critter is just waiting to be discovered.
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Cutta Cutta Caves Nature Park is home to some of our sweetest little locals. At around two to three kilograms the Wilkins Rock Wallaby is a pretty little thing. Dove grey fur is highlighted with head stripes and reddish patches on forearms while small round ears complement a generally comfortable looking and well-rounded shape beautifully.
Until recently the Wilkins Rock Wallaby was thought to be simply an attractive Short-Eared Rock Wallaby. In 2014 however, Dr Sally Potter and Dr Mark Eldridge from the Australian Museum Research Institute realised there were some differences in between the wallabies from the north west of Western Australia and those from the more easterly regions of the NT. The north-western wallabies were larger with less prominent markings than their eastern cousins; they also had differing genetics. The researchers named the newly discovered critter after the Australian explorer and naturalist Captain Sir G. H. Wilkins who collected one of the first specimens of this species in 1925.
The recognition of the Wilkins Rock Wallaby as a distinct species in its own right takes the number Australian of rock wallaby species to 17. Our research team may still add to this as there is some thought that the very pale grey rock wallabies in the Victoria River region may also be genetically distinct from their Short Eared Rock Wallaby cousins.
Rock wallabies are only found on the Australian mainland and a couple of offshore islands. They prefer environments like cliffs, gorges and escarpments making the complex, rocky landscape of the Katherine region perfect for them. If you would like to take a peek at a Wilkins Rock Wallaby, plan a trip to Cutta Cutta Caves Nature Park. There is a young wallaby hanging around the main cave entrance at the moment. She seems entirely unfazed by the attention of all the tourists and the cave guides think her mother may be using the cave guides and all the visitors as the macropod version of a baby-sitting iPad.
Sometimes a new critter is just waiting to be discovered.
