Mammals · Marsupials

Kangaroo

Macropus & Osphranter spp.

Least Concern

Kangaroos are large hopping marsupials native to Australia, instantly recognized by their powerful hind legs, thick balancing tail, and forward-opening pouch where a tiny, undeveloped joey completes much of its growth. Four species make up the group commonly called "kangaroo," ranging from open grassland to rocky outcrops across the continent.

Red kangaroo standing upright in the outback

Classification

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Mammalia

Order: Diprotodontia

Family: Macropodidae

Genera: Osphranter, Macropus

Species: 4 true kangaroos: red, eastern grey, western grey & antilopine

Nearest relatives: Wallabies, wallaroos and tree-kangaroos

Size

Red kangaroo (largest): up to 5.6 ft tall, 6 ft long including tail. Females are considerably smaller than males in all species.

Weight

Male red kangaroos up to 200 lbs; females much lighter, around 40–90 lbs across the four species.

Habitat

Open grassland, woodland and semi-arid plains across mainland Australia.

Description

Powerful hind legs and feet built for hopping, small forelimbs used for grooming and low-speed movement, and a thick muscular tail used as a "fifth limb" for balance and, in a fight, support.

Diet

Herbivore — mainly grasses, along with some shrubs and forbs. A specialized digestive system extracts unusually high nutrition from tough, dry vegetation.

Speed & hopping

Cruising speed around 15–25 mph, with bursts over 35 mph; a single hop can cover more than 25 ft.

Communication

Clicks, hisses, grunts and foot-thumping to warn of danger; also communicates through body posture and, among males, boxing matches.

Gestation

About 31–36 days — extremely short, with almost all development happening after birth, inside the pouch.

Birth & Joey Development

A single joey, the size of a jellybean at birth, crawls unaided into the pouch and attaches to a teat, staying inside for 6–11 months depending on species.

Sexually Mature

About 14–20 months for females, slightly later for males.

Life Span

6–8 years in the wild, up to 20+ in captivity.

Social Structure

Loose groups called "mobs," typically led informally by a dominant male, with membership shifting frequently rather than forming a fixed hierarchy.

Did You Know?

A newborn kangaroo joey is about the size of a jellybean and weighs less than a gram, yet it crawls unassisted from the birth canal into its mother’s pouch within minutes.

Did You Know?

Kangaroos cannot walk backward. Their large feet and rigid tail make reverse movement essentially impossible, which is why the kangaroo appears on Australia's coat of arms as a symbol of forward progress.

Did You Know?

Female kangaroos can pause the development of an embryo, a phenomenon called embryonic diapause, timing a joey's growth to when the pouch is available and conditions are favorable.