Waikato Regional Council has been notified of possible wallaby sightings in Leamington near Cambridge, and near Kinloch on the W2K Trail.

“These sightings are near where lone wallabies have been reported before but some distance from known wallaby populations in the Waikato, like eastern Mamaku Plateau and northeastern Waikite Valley,” says a post on the Waikato Regional Council Facebook page.

“Wallabies are pushing their way into the region from the Bay of Plenty and we are working with Bay of Plenty Regional Council as part of the Tipu Mātoro National Wallaby Eradication Programme to push them back to a containment area and prevent their spread.

“If left unchecked, it is conservatively estimated that one third of the North Island will be subjected to the impacts of wallabies in less than 50 years.

“Wallabies are a pest because their browsing destroys productive farmland and plantation and native forests, costing millions in lost production and reducing biodiversity.

“Reporting of any sightings or signs of wallabies are critical to help us stop the spread of wallabies.”

If you have also seen a wallaby in the Leamington or Kinloch areas, or elsewhere in New Zealand, please report your sighting here: https://bit.ly/48XRbyw