Friend or foe

These two young male Red-necked wallabies were dancing about like prizefighters, in a clinch, trying to land a punch — or a kick.

They careened along the fenceline, looking very serious in their aim to hurt each other, leaping up while balancing on their tails, or trying to.

But as one or other lost their balance, the tacit agreement seemed to be that they turn their backs on each other in feigned nonchalance, to recover their breath — or their pride. 

They’d scratch or preen themselves for a minute or two, then suddenly, and without any signal that I could see, they’d be at it again.

The pattern was repeated many times before they fell out of the open gateway in one of the fight sessions!