Most People Will Never See The Elusive Wallaby Colony Hiding In This Hawaiian Valley

If you've ever considered researching "wallaby Hawaii," you'll be delighted by the news we have to share! Hawaii is not only boundless in natural beauty, but it is also a flourishing environment for many unique animals to thrive in the wild, from native species like the Hawaiian monk seal and the Hawaiian green sea turtle to species that have been introduced to the islands over the years, like mongoose and Hawaii Island’s wild cattle. We are shocked, however, to find wallabies in Hawaii.

Though native to Australia, the brush-tailed rock wallaby has established itself right here on Oahu in a small, but nonetheless established colony in the heart of Kalihi Valley.

Three of these Oahu wallabies were brought to a private zoo in Honolulu in 1916, but neighborhood dogs attacked. The youngest wallaby was killed, and the remaining male and female escaped into the wild, where nature took its course.

When the wallabies escaped more than a century ago, the state believed they would not be a pest, and they were right. These mini-marsupials stand approximately knee-high and weigh no more than 10 to 15 pounds. They are also herbivorous and eat mostly Christmas berries and other non-native plants.

The wallabies once inhabited an area from Nuuanu to Halawa Valley, though they are now believed only to exist in one small area within Kalihi Valley. No one knows how many wallabies exist on Oahu now, but at one point, there were fewer than 40.

The state has never had an official management plan for the adorable creatures. Because they are considered threatened in Australia — and there is such great interest in the animals — they are considered off-limits to hunters.

Sightings of wallabies in HI are rare, and visitors are asked not to look for the animals on their own, as they are a delicate population and live primarily on private property. The last reported sighting was on Valentine’s Day in 2018 at the Halawa Correctional Facility. Before that, the last official sighting was in the 1990s.

There is, however, a video of one of these elusive creatures that was captured by Olin Lagon and uploaded by KHON2 News. Check it out:

So, there you have it: the answer to your burning question, "Are there wallabies in Hawaii?" Have you ever heard about this elusive wallaby colony on the island of Oahu? What's your favorite animal you can find in Hawaii?

If you want to see a variety of unique animals on Oahu, head to the Honolulu Zoo.