Taxonomy:
Common Names by Region:
Description:
Size: Males can reach up to 1.8 meters (5.9 feet) in height and weigh up to 90 kg (198 lbs), while females are smaller, typically reaching 1.1 meters (3.6 feet) and weighing up to 40 kg (88 lbs).
Color: Males have a reddish-brown coat, while females are often bluish-grey.
Physical Characteristics: Strong hind legs designed for leaping, long muscular tails for balance, and small heads with large ears.
Known Range:
Widely distributed across mainland Australia, particularly in the arid and semi-arid interior. Found in open plains, grasslands, woodlands, and desert regions.
Diet:
Breeding:
Reproductive System: Polygynous, with dominant males mating with multiple females.
Gestation Period: Approximately 33 days.
Birth: Typically one joey per birth.
Joey Development: Joeys are born extremely underdeveloped and continue to grow in the mother’s pouch for about 8 months before beginning to venture outside.
Lifecycle:
Infancy: Joeys remain in the pouch for the first 8 months, after which they start to explore but return to the pouch for feeding and safety.
Juvenile: After leaving the pouch, young kangaroos stay close to their mothers for up to 18 months.
Adulthood: Reach sexual maturity around 2-3 years of age. Lifespan in the wild is typically around 12-18 years, though they can live longer in captivity.