I Explored A Secret UK Habitat & found something incredible...

[@HarshaAndSophia_Sinhala]

I saw a wallabie just a couple of years ago in Worcestershire. It was by a main road and ran back into the bushes when it saw the car coming. I clearly saw it was something like a small kangaroo but I was confused as I didn’t expect to see anything like that in England. There was no time to take a picture or a video. Later I found out that wallabies are actually in the wild in the UK. Amazing.

[@vicarious7858]

Where abouts was this? I live in the area (Wyre Forest) and would love to see one in the wild!

[@HarshaAndSophia_Sinhala]

@@vicarious7858 It was in Hagley area. Just off Birmingham road.

[@vicarious7858]

@@HarshaAndSophia_Sinhala That's just a few miles up the road! Thanks for the info and have a damn good evening. I'm gonna charge my camera up 😆

[@HarshaAndSophia_Sinhala]

@@vicarious7858 Hope you find them. Good luck.

[@baldieman64]

That's weird. I just posted about the population that used to live between Kidderminster and Stourport - and that I'd not heard anything about them in years.

[@philbertb]

A few years ago when I lived in Sussex, an old Australian guy that I knew asked me if I wanted to see his Wallabies? After I stopped laughing he told me that he was serious, and took me out to his garden (which was huge). There was a field, about the size of a football pitch, with a very high fence around it, and inside there must have been at least 20 wallabies bouncing around. he told me that he had started off with only 6, so they must have been quite happy and started breeding. he moved house soon after that and I lost touch with him, so I don't know what happened to them

[@MrHewes44]

My mums freinds freind also has a garden about 1 football pitch and she offered so we could see them but we haven’t yet because it is getting lighter nights but now it’s getting darker we can see them cos it’s dusk and dawn they come out. They are also native over here in the Isle of Man

[@josephgreen7261]

You sure this wasn’t Brighton & Hove Albion??

[@philbertb]

@@josephgreen7261 🤣🤣🤣

[@James-oo1yq]

There’s a herd of deer moved into the North of Edinburgh, literally 3 miles from the city centre. Unfortunately one day someone went hunting them and killed one with a crossbow, then gutted it in front of children outside a Morrisons store. Apparently nothing he did was illegal, so please keep the Wallaby area a secret.

[@WildlifeWithCookie]

That's pretty grim. This location will be kept a secret though, don't worry about that

[@wolfpack5849]

@@WildlifeWithCookie you know they'll be culled eventually, defra is looking into culling all the wallabies here as they threaten native species

[@baldieman64]

Hunting with bows and crossbows is actually illegal. Unfortunately, the .gov.uk site doesn't link to the relevant legislation, but it's definitely illegal.

[@The_ZeroLine]

“Hey kids! Want to see me skin and dress Bambi?!”

[@Seamus2900]

Just found this channel and video. I grew up around the loch where the Scottish ones are and have even visited the island several times as a kid so we have known of them for many many years. I was there a few weeks ago and can confirm they are still there and seem to be doing well. Great to see there are more around the UK.

[@lindsaybrown7357]

Kind of seems appropriate. You poms gave us foxes and rabbits, only fair we give you something in return 😂

[@GG-jw8pt]

Don’t you think Kylie was enough!?

[@lindsaybrown7357]

@GG 67 yes, good point. And we also gave you Rolf Harris. Hmmmmm ! Let's call it even.

[@weekendwarriorprospecting817]

Fair exchange 😂❤

[@javierhillier4252]

that is true lol

[@MichaelCampin]

Do you still a criminal record to enter Australia

[@willswalkingwest7267]

Back in the 80's I was in the US Air Force and was stationed at RAF Mildenhall in Suffolk. From time to time I was sent to other bases around England to pick up supplies and parts. Me and a coworker were sent to a base in Oxford and I was driving a Chevy pickup through some back roads near Oxford. We turned a corner and there in a field were 20-30 wallabies. We stopped the truck to have a look. We didn't have cell phones and cameras like people do today so all we could do is look. There are probably wallabies in various places in England, some undoubtedly are surviving in areas with heavy cover and farmland. There are so many militant people who are keen on eradicating anything deemed exotic, I simply cannot imagine what significant damage a wallaby is going to do, people are the worst invasive species and development of wild places is the worst. But people feel better if they eradicate an animal instead of addressing what the real issues are.

[@WildlifeWithCookie]

Well put! - on another note, have you been looking for the Ivory Billed?

[@willswalkingwest7267]

@@WildlifeWithCookie Thanks for asking. I was not able to go to the Choctawhatchee River during search season. Much to my frustration. I am however, planning on the next season, January through March, putting gear and strategies together. The search seasons are limited because of the tree growth, during our winters the leaves are off the hardwoods making visibility possible. Once spring comes, you cannot see anything in the canopy because of the leaves. Not to mention the mosquitoes in the swamp. I had planned on going between Jan-March but my support people backed out, so I am going to do it on my own next season. Apparently, to my knowledge, no one who was searching this season have come back with anything substantial. A shame.

[@wildnwindsor]

That Joey reveal was amazing. You never disappoint mate! I've been following the wallaby saga since your first video. Keep up the good work!

[@WildlifeWithCookie]

thanks man! gotta love the Wallabies, think it's going to end up with me owning one or something lmao

[@wildnwindsor]

@@WildlifeWithCookie "The James Cook Wallaby Wildlife Refuge" I can see it now.

[@WildlifeWithCookie]

@@wildnwindsor don't put ideas in my head

[@shapumawildcat2800]

@@WildlifeWithCookie Go for it

[@AutististicSchizo]

​@WildlifeWithCookie You think if the Wallabies are in England long enough, they could become endemic.

[@weekendwarriorprospecting817]

I saw a Wallaby in the Forest of Dean. I thought my mind was playing tricks on me, but it wasn't. At first, I thought it was a deer, but the ears were on top of the skull as opposed to the side. Massive black ears too. I pulled the car over when possible and walked back to the spot. They legged it.

[@metaldetectingtoursgeorgia7569]

Lots of escaped wallabies in Horsham Sussex, on the Faygate to Peas pottage road Leonarndslee gardens.

[@hobi1kenobi112]

Indeed, yes, they've been in Britain for decades. Initially released I believe when the Wild Animals Act came in in the late 70/80s, and people let lots of exotic 'pets' loose. Also the Victorians probably kept them, so some may be older breeding colonies in Britain. Thing is you rarely see them. Most people live in urban sprawls in England for example, and rarely even see the millions of deer we have roaming wild here, let alone the wallabies. They tend to be near stately homes and big parks where there's lots of coverage.

[@lw9956]

Never gets boring seeing these wallabies in the UK 👍keep up the good work lad 😁

[@kesia1763]

I'm in Hertfordshire & a member of Big Cats in Herts. One member about 17 miles from me was driving through a local lane that cuts through a farm and a wallaby hopped on by alongside him. He took a photo & posted it to the group & other members also mentioned sighting them in that area. I only saw my first parakeets about 13 years ago & thought I was hallucinating...lol. Though I did see about 35-40 years ago driving on the M23 going home from Gatwick Airport from our holiday with my then fiancee & I noticed some white wallabies on a hill all jumping around. That apparently was a sanctuary/rescue but what a blinking strange sight. As another YTer says 'Keep those peepers peeping you never know what you may miss'😅. So grateful for those of you who do this:)

[@peterdenyer3002]

They are in Bedfordshire too

[@The_ZeroLine]

This video should have about 100x more views. And your videos are beautiful. Not blurry, shaky shots of something behind thick brush.

[@striderwhiston9897]

Awesome to see, wonder if you eventually check up on the rest of the UK wallaby sightings? document their populations across the UK and such.

[@shapumawildcat2800]

Absolutely EPIC,,, Cookie the champ,,, You defo need a slot of your own on BBC wildlife watch,,,, Way ta go Cookie x

[@marionsadventuresincameraland.]

until you caught that joey they were feral status i think, so by showing them breeding , should go some way to protecting them in today's nature crisis ,brilliant to watch

[@baldieman64]

There used to be small populations around Kidderminster and up in Derbyshire, but I've not heard of any sightings around Kidderminster for years, and I think I read that the Derbyshire population died out a decade or so ago.

[@anniedarkhorse6791]

The Joey in the pouch was a nice treat to see. Well done. It's nice to see our Aussie animals being appreciated, even if they're not meant to be there.

[@ironix1]

Yeah, but we're not meant to be in Australia either TBF and we have wrecked the place!

[@C.Fecteau-AU-MJ13]

​@@ironix1I didn't wreck the place, it was like this when I showed up... Well, I was born here, but my parents weren't. And I'm pretty confident I'm doing my part to make Australia less shit. I find it as heartbreaking as anyone what's happened to this place, maybe more than most.

[@Aldamiras]

They have some thick coats on them wow. Great job filming these!

[@WildlifeWithCookie]

Would honestly love to give them a stroke, bet they feel so soft! The cuties

[@blue_tree_meadow]

I seem to remember an escape, maybe a couple of decades ago, from a wildlife park down south somewhere and the mention of an estimated 60 or so suspected wallabies living in the wild? I love it, it makes me truly happy to see them thriving. My friend and his wife have seen a big cat up north almost certainly an escapee or intentional release by a private collector. Non native snakes on the banks of the Thames, I've even heard tell of potential wolverine sightings. Some people buy animals when they're young cubs or pups and release them when they can't manage anymore, some escape in storms etc, I believe if memory serves that was the case with the wallabies originally, they escaped.

[@MrJayTeeee]

There was a wallaby spotted in Cornwall last night, just saw it at the cornwalllive webite (they called it Kangaroo though, but it wasn't)

[@grizredford8407]

About 2013/14 is was on a training course in Derby and saw a dead wallaby by the side of a duel carriageway in the outskirts of the city.

[@Lauchkopf97]

Wow this is huge! I love this, there are supposed to be Wallabys here in Germany too, one population at Castle Stargard and in the Saarland they are occasionally seen, maybe the latter is also a population just waiting to be confirmed, I should problably go there. Anyway congratulations to you, the joey is so awesome, I definitly wasn't expecting this :D

[@BeneathTheGold]

Nice one Cookie. You should go and find the invasive Aesculapian snakes in Camden Lock London. I think they’re found in a few other locations. The snake on the medical symbol is an aesculapian snake. They are a pretty damn cool species. Or have you done one on those and I haven’t seem it or more likely, I seen it but my memories so bad I’ve forgotten.

[@WildlifeWithCookie]

I'll hopefully get down to the concrete jungle soon and have a look!

[@rickh3714]

Less invasive than the *Wallabies IMO- as at least Wikipedia states that fossils existed in Britain of Aesc. Snakes during the interglacial period & they ranged as far North as Denmark. Mention of possible outside range Roman era releases as part of temple worship too. *If the 50 million Possums later in NZ repeats as 50 million Wallabies later in UK ??? Even Cookie might get fed up with seeing them. (Sidenote- as a young kid in the late 60s I went to Sherwood Forest and remember seeing what I thought was the head of a 'Kangaroo' sticking up above vegetation. My late father said "don't be silly there are only deer around here". Were there records of wallabies in the UK in the 60s? 🤷‍♂️)

[@theotheseaeagle]

Aesculapian snakes actually aren’t invasive. There’s a difference between invasive and non-native. Invasive is where an animal has a serious negative impact on the local ecosystem. Non-native means it’s been introduced to an area but fits well into the ecosystem without many negative impacts. Aesculapian snakes actually used to live in Britain until everything got covered in ice during the last ice age and they went extinct here. Since then after the glaciers melted the UK got separated from mainland Europe and the aesculapian snakes simply never recolonised. And unfortunately aesculapian snakes will probably not be here for more than around 40 years as their populations are quite small and isolated

[@abcbcd1834]

Awesome reveal at the end there. Really inspiring seeing this series on your channel. Cheers for putting it out there

[@davidlancaster1974]

Very cool. I didn’t see any on Isle of Man during a recent visit.

[@brighteyedbirding]

This is SO COOL! Congrats on finding these amazing creatures (again)! Love these videos!

[@JayTalbot]

Still need to find them in Wales 😉🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

[@WildlifeWithCookie]

I'll get researching... fairly sure I remember seeing about one near Neath...

[@JayTalbot]

@@WildlifeWithCookie neath is only about 40mins away from, let me know if you need a hand 😉

[@striderwhiston9897]

Definitely.

[@christyrogers7707]

Nice to see you back on Loch lomond again, I used to live on the island next to the one with the wallabies a long time ago. I hear someone might be taking down the old house & building something much bigger, hope the wallabies like their new neighbours! Great video of the English wallabies!

[@WildlifeWithCookie]

That’s got a sad story unfortunately, I’ve documented it in a few videos on my channel if you fancy watching. The house has been burnt down and the Wallabies are at risk of eradication from the new owners sadly

[@christyrogers7707]

@@WildlifeWithCookie I know the old house was in a sad state after watching your previous video a while ago, 30 years of neglect & vandalism takes its toll. I remember it when it was still being looked after by a caretaker. The authorities tried eradicating the wallabies before but as they say " life finds a way". Always surprised me that the wallabies never spread to any of there other islands, there was talk that one got across the ice to the mainland in winter & was around Luss Glen but that was 35ish years ago. Anyway great videos, keep up the good work! 👍

[@WildlifeWithCookie]

@@christyrogers7707 Yeah I wouldn't be surprised if the Wallabies had a swim to the next island over, it's very small distance that they could make if they really wanted to

[@wolfpack5849]

@@WildlifeWithCookie they're invasive they should be eradicated

[@katie8120]

Absolutely beautiful footage, love wallabies ❤

[@Pete_R]

I came across your channel early hours this morning and yes I've subscribed and I'm enjoying your videos mate keep up the good work bud

[@WildlifeWithCookie]

Happy to hear it mate! Thank you

[@C.Fecteau-AU-MJ13]

Rocko's English Life. Man it's hard to find them in the place where they're most prolific, in the bushland where I live.

[@Luis-sz7ry]

Could you do something like this in the Peak District? I believe the last sighting was in 2000 or 2009 or there were at least Wallaby droppings found.

[@pilgrimoftheworld]

That is amazing. Awesome channel btw.

[@benyoung2738]

Incredible footage this must be the first evidence that they are actually breeding surprised the babies can handle the cold weather we have but he looked happy enough to me

[@ntilcheff]

These look like Tasmanian Bennett's Wallabies. They are very well-adapted to cold.

[@brandoncuttell6664]

Life is beautiful ❤

[@James-oo1yq]

So how will the Wallabies cope with inbreeding? I’d imagine a small population on an island wouldn’t do well.

[@joewood99]

From what I know, inbreeding isn't as much of a threat to marsupials & rodents as it is to humans (phenotypic diseases/characteristics). The main risk is simply a population with one gene pool will not adapt to changing conditions. The biggest threat short term would be introduction of a disease. Long & short being, if one of the group die from said disease, they all will because they have the same/very similar genetic immunity. They've been in Lomond for 80-100 years now which probably represents between 6-10 full life-spans and they're still apparently going strong.

[@WildlifeWithCookie]

@@joewood99 Going strong and breeding too, we documented joeys on that island last year

[@joewood99]

@@WildlifeWithCookie yeah I have took a bit of an interest since your video. I'd love to go and scope it out but I'm struggling to convince any of my mates that it would be worthwhile.

[@hubertdenise3100]

I’ve seen a few wierd animals in UK. Saw what looked like a big wild cat of some sort running through a field by the road in the middle of nowhere in England, far too long to be a domestic, reminded me of a jungle cat. Went to a zoo and found that the prairie dogs were actually tunnelling into the playground and could get out, found when I saw a hole in the ground while climbing on play structure( was 7 at time) and saw a prairie dog poke its head out. Saw a big exotic south American catfish in local nature reserve river, the one with long feelers and spots that you get in many pet shops and scotsdales garden centres. Bunch of wild terrapins, there’s at least two different groups in Ipswich. Wild parrots( London). Wild boar( Forest of dean), formerly native, now back and very common. Signal crayfish( everywhere), pulled out monsters that have claws over 9cm. Eagle owl in Cornwall on telephone post. Golden Pheasant, population used to exist in Anglesey Abbey and fens around it. Peacock( yes) Wandlebury country park near Cambridge has some, every now and then one would appear there, usually in the trees near car park or such, cawing loudly.

[@dolphintouchmichellepsychi6217]

G'Day from Australia! I hope they leave the ones on the island alone... This is amazing to see them in the UK!!!

[@krispugsley5704]

I saw a wallabie on the A303. could give you the location. but was at least two years ago now. I pass the area regularly and keep an eye out always.

[@Shagratofficial1]

Let's gooooo, love the video cookie can't wait for the next one 🖤🤘

[@Bexamina]

Ah ❤ amazing 😍 Lincolnshire has wallabies but I don't think they're wild.

[@spiderill7791]

English wallabies be like "Good day, mate"

[@jenifferschmitz8618]

at least they brighten up the place you got neighbours from Australia now wall bys red back spiders next??

[@brelouum]

all seriousness hope the government ignores these and lets them be invasive, bit of fun

[@kamranbessim9821]

Just subscribed great channel didn't know we had wollobes

[@SmedleyDouwright]

Any other Australian animals in the UK? The parrots you videoed in another episode, were they Australian?

[@WildlifeWithCookie]

There could be some Parma Wallabies in the UK but I think they're the only Australians knocking about. The Parrots were Ring Necked Parakeets, really cool things!

[@jenifferschmitz8618]

i think the redback spiders have arrived aswell

[@jonrobinson8005]

As long as there are no predators and a good food supply, they will breed to a sizeable population in no time.

[@elspongo5827]

Can you do a hunt for a golden eagle in england

[@SideWalkAstronomyNetherlands]

Reminds me of a song... Tie me Kangaroo down...

[@LEGOSquidwardPainting]

Now I know why Wallace and Gromit live on West Wallaby Street.

[@southbristolbcfc1943]

There’s a group of around four that have been living wild in brinkworth in Wiltshire for years

[@WildlifeWithCookie]

That’s pretty cool! Do you know where exactly?

[@southbristolbcfc1943]

@@WildlifeWithCookie normally found around somerford common

[@j-diamond-8924]

What a find. Well done mate 🤘

[@100percent3]

Neil Waters will be jealous

[@xgemx1984]

We've got wild wallabies in wisbech fenland area too

[@MONKeEeYboi]

I had absolutely no idea we had wallabies in England. Where I live we have thousands of green ring neck parrots 🦜 living wild. They are so noisy

[@GlareBoxTV]

The next stage is seeing Wallabies and Parakeets in the same area, maybe feeding together. That would be a sight.

[@MONKeEeYboi]

@@GlareBoxTV that would be amazing.

[@mach389]

Very cool. Great job 👍👍

[@Specogecko]

Neutral non-natives and naturalized species have always been overlooked and forgotten about when it comes to conservation. Populations like this are a valuable form of ex-situ conservation by having these naturalized insurance populations. Economically, it’s cheaper, ecologically, it can be harmless/even benificial, it also can be a better ethical alternative when it comes to animal welfare; when comparing to keeping exsitu populations in captivity. Segregated from their native populations, they’re a backup if anything goes wrong in their native habitat. Plus, these wallabies likely fill some of the lost ecologically niches once fulfilled by extirpated megafauna.

[@jamesgilbert6869]

Have you found a golden eagle before mate ?

[@HR-od9fl]

Wonder how they got there?, brilliant 👍

[@jacobrheams]

flipping jjrims😂 guess I've just fully transitioned to that being my name on the channel now haven't I hahaha

[@WildlifeWithCookie]

It’s a great name

[@Ratemynaturequest]

Awesome videos my friend cool keep up the good work

[@gemmashawcross1189]

Where was this

[@fredhothotfred6288]

another thylacine, awesome!

[@nicholastate5012]

The ending though 🤩

[@WildlifeWithCookie]

Awesome right?! Gotta love a joey 🦘

[@electronstrike8712]

Try and find a black panther!

[@leemcgrady254]

I love this channel

[@BalefulBunyip]

Doesn't surprise me that they would thrive in England. Lots of food, no natural predators apart from perhaps feral dogs. Lucky you don't have eastern greys 😂

[@JohnRochford]

Wallaby damned…

[@mikehillas]

Any thoughts on how they got there?

[@WildlifeWithCookie]

Most probably escapees from somewhere

[@donaldclyne6939]

Love it

[@GuppyDundee]

What type cookie?

[@thedarkmasterthedarkmaster]

Ok cool video. But I did pause because for a moment I thought you were Minilad

[@LinkTheFusky]

the universe is glitching out YOU HAVE THE EXACT SAME FACE AS MY BEST FRIEND, the devs are reusing character designs

[@kristianwade198]

Would you say that the population is feral or tame? Seems to be acting like a fully functioning population, which suggests they’ve been around for some time.

[@WildlifeWithCookie]

Feral and I agree. They were a bit wary of me being in their proximity, especially with the joey, any sudden movement there and they hopped away

[@kristianwade198]

@@WildlifeWithCookie absolutely insane. no word of a lie as an ecologist this is one of the biggest ecological discoveries in the UK for decades. Keep location secret but would be good to build up some kind of monitoring to understand how they are surviving

[@wolfpack5849]

@Kristian Wade if you're an ecologist wouldn't you know they threaten native plants

[@kristianwade198]

@@wolfpack5849 absolutely. BUT the habitat they seem to be in is very low diversity/heavily managed agricultural mosaic. And they are likely to be much less of an issue that sheep/deer etc.

[@ioanmason1048]

love these videos

[@politicallyincorrect2564]

These are considered pest animals

[@XtraOrdinar-y]

Great video

[@wolfpack5849]

Seriously these could do a lot of damage to our native wildlife

[@digs1223]

How?

[@RaikouHDGamer]

I can’t believe these are in the uk 🤯

[@WildlifeWithCookie]

cool init

[@FreeSpirit2.0]

That's mad😍😍🇦🇺

[@WildlifeWithCookie]

right?!

[@timothygreer188]

I bet the floppy haired teenager was miffed he didn't get to join you

[@brelouum]

yay ❤❤😂😂😂😂😂

[@jgr7487]

and this is how invasive species start spreading.

[@Pete_R]

Mate now you've said where they are in the UK are you not worried they're at risk now there's some nasty bastards out there

[@WildlifeWithCookie]

Scotlands Wallaby location has been known about for some time now. This population in England will be kept a secret though, don’t worry

[@Pete_R]

@@WildlifeWithCookie but you said what county it's in so surely it won't be difficult to figure out

[@wolfpack5849]

They're an invasive species so they should be culled, defra is currently making plans to cull them on the Isle of man

[@nathanaelsmith3553]

If you had posted this video on April Fool's Day some people might not believe you

[@WildlifeWithCookie]

True 😂😂😂😂

[@TheTwoFingeredBullFrog]

I've seen a couple of wallabies dead on the side of the road here in Worcestershire, one a few years back and one this year. Haven't seen one alive yet though in the wild.

[@WildlifeWithCookie]

That's a shame, I hope you manage to find an alive one

[@wolfpack5849]

Shouldn't they be shot as they're invasive?

[@CreateMakeEnterprise]

Someone obviously illegally smuggled our Aussie wildlife. Disappointing.