Around 1,000 wild wallabies thought to be living on Island

Results of DEFA survey published

Around 1,000 wallabies are thought to be living in the Manx countryside.

The Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture has published the data from its first ever Island-wide population survey.

Thermal imaging technology mounted on a drone was used to track the marsupials across 988 acres over six days.

Almost 300 individual wallabies were recorded, but based on the results of this study and an earlier survey in 2023 which focused solely on the Ballaugh Curragh, the report estimates the total population to be closer to 1,000.

Leigh Morris, Director of the Manx Wildlife Trust (MWT), said: "We are confident that the drone data is accurate for the areas we have surveyed, but inevitably some will have evaded us in the Island.

"Prior to the survey, population estimates ranged from scores, to hundreds, and this is therefore an important first step to better understand the number of our feral wallabies. Our aim is to ensure that future conversations about the Island’s wallabies [and goats], and any potential need to manage the population are appropriately informed."

Clare Barber MHK, Minister for Environment, Food and Agriculture, said: "The department is now looking at the best ways to assess the health of the wallaby population. Once we have that data, we can evaluate the impact on the local environment and determine whether any changes in management are necessary."

The study also recorded the number of feral goats in the north of the Island.

During the survey, 245 were seen in the Lonan and Maughold areas, including kids.

You can see the survey in full here.