Acacia the western brush wallaby is Bunbury Wildlife Park’s newest and possibly cutest resident

There is a new resident at Bunbury Wildlife Park this year — a jolly jumping joey named Acacia.

The wildlife park was thrilled to welcome Acacia, the second western brush wallaby to be born in the past year.

Like most marsupials, Acacia spent her first months hidden inside her mother Willow’s pouch.

At five months old, as a Christmas treat for everyone at the park, she emerged from the safety of her mother and began taking her first leaps towards independence.

Now at seven months old she can be seen charging around her pen, munching branches and annoying her mother.

Bunbury Wildlife Park team leader Jacqueline Quadrio said she was already challenging her mum with attitude as she developed her confidence and personality.

Acacia’s success follows her brother Euca, who was born early last year.

Ms Quadrio said although the wildlife park did not have a specific breeding program there had been successful births from a range of animals in the park.

“Some species born at Bunbury Wildlife Park include red-tailed black cockatoos, woylies, brush-tailed possums and boobook owls,” she said.

The successful breeding of western brush wallabies is an exciting prospect for the wildlife park, as their wild populations have been slowly decreasing over the years.

According to a fauna profile from the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, brush wallabies have lost much of their native habitat since the 1970s and their population has declined.

Invasive predators such as foxes and habitat destruction are adding pressure to the elusive South West native.

Ms Quadrio said there was little known about these wallabies in their natural habitat, but the wallabies in the park had a hearty appetite.

“The park’s wallabies enjoy a balanced diet of macropod pellets, hay, native plants and grasses.”

The wildlife park is always eager to receive community donations of branches and cuttings from native plants that the wallabies and other animals can enjoy, Ms Quadrio said.

“As we approach the City of Bunbury’s green waste roadside collection, we would like to remind our community that branches and cuttings from native foliage can be donated to the park all-year-round,” she said.

“Our animals love fresh branches and cuttings daily, forming part of their diet as well as providing enrichment and adding to their habitat.”