The Red Kangaroo (Macropus rufus) is the largest of all kangaroos, the largest mammal native to Australia, and the largest surviving marsupial. It is found across mainland Australia, avoiding only the more fertile areas in the south, the east coast, and the northern rainforests. This species is a very large kangaroo with short, red-brown fur, fading to pale buff below and on the limbs. It has long, pointed ears and a squared-off muzzle. Females are smaller than males and are blue-grey with a brown tinge, pale grey below, although arid zone females are coloured more like males. It has two forelimbs with small claws, two muscular hind-limbs, which are used for jumping, and a strong tail which is often used to create a tripod when standing upright.
Ten Facts about Red Kangaroo
- The males can leap over 9 metres (30 ft) in one leap.
- Males grow up to a body length of 1.4 metres (4 ft 7 in) long and weigh up to 85 kilograms (190 lb). Females reach a body length of up to 1.1 metres (3 ft 7 in) long and weigh up to 35 kilograms (77 lb).
- The Red Kangaroo's range of vision is approximately 300°, due to the position of its eyes.
- It can go long periods of time without water, as long as it has access to green plants, since it has the ability to take moisture out of plants.
- The Red Kangaroo prefers to eat grasses. It also includes significant amounts of shrubs in its diet.
- The Red Kangaroo lives alone or in small groups called 'mobs. Each mob is usually made up of 2 to 10 kangaroos, but sometimes a mob can have up to several hundred kangaroos.
- The Red Kangaroo breeds all year round. The females have the unusual ability to delay birth of their baby until their previous Joey has left the pouch. This is called embryonic diapause.
- When a kangaroo is born it is blind and has no fur. The 3/4 of an inch long (2cm) Joey takes three minute to climb, without help, through the fur on its mother's belly into the her pouch.
- The Red Kangaroo hops on its powerful back legs at speeds up to 37 miles per hour (60km).
- Red kangaroos in the wild can live up to 15 years; In captivity they can live much longer.
