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Red Kangaroo

Macropus rufus

Close-up view of a red kangaroo

Photograph by Anne
Keiser

Red Kangaroo Profile

The red kangaroo is the world's largest marsupial.
Females have one baby at a time, which at birth is
smaller than a cherry. The infant immediately climbs
into its mother's pouch and does not emerge for two
months. Until they reach about eight months of age,
threatened young kangaroos, called joeys, will quickly
dive for the safety of mom's pouch. As they grow, joeys'
heads and feet can often be seen hanging out of the
pouch.

Red kangaroos hop along on their powerful
hind legs and do so at great speed. A red kangaroo can
reach speeds of over 35 miles (56 kilometers) an hour.
Their bounding gate allows them to cover 25 feet (8
meters) in a single leap and to jump 6 feet (1.8 meters)
high.

Female red kangaroos are smaller, lighter,
and faster than males. They also boast a blue-hued coat,
so many Australians call them "blue
fliers."

Larger male kangaroos are powerfully
built. Like many species, male kangaroos sometimes fight
over potential mates. They often lean back on their
sturdy tail and "box" each other with their strong hind
legs. Kangaroos can also bite and wield sharp claws,
which they may do in battle with an enemy like a
dingo.

Red kangaroos live in Australia's deserts
and open grasslands, gathering in groups called mobs.
Aboriginal and European Australians have spent centuries
clearing open tracts of land and establishing water
sources—both of which are boons to kangaroo populations.
Many millions of these animals roam Australia, and
considerable numbers are killed each year for their
skins and meat, which is becoming a more popular human
food.

Fast Facts

Type: Mammal

Diet: Herbivore

Average lifespan in the wild: Up to
23 years

Size: Head and body, 3.25 to 5.25
ft (1 to 1.6 m); Tail, 35.5 to 43.5 in (90 to 110
cm)

Weight: 200 lbs (90 kg)

Group name: Mob

Size relative to a 6-ft (2-m)
man:

Multimedia

Red Kangaroo Printable Factsheet

Video:
Red Kangaroos Reproduce

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