1,000 wallabies hiding on the Island

The government says there are a thousand wallabies hiding in the Manx countryside.

A report from the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture says the first-ever island-wide population survey used thermal imaging drones to count the wallabies across 988 acres of land.

Over six days, the drones spotted almost 300 individual animals - but the report estimates the total population to be closer to 1,000.

DEFA Minister Clare Barber says department wants to assess the population's health before evaluating the wallabies' impact on the environment and decide if any action is needed.