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SPECIES PROFILE
Red Kangaroo (Macropus rufus)
Macropus
IUCN STATUS
Least Concern
CONSERVATION STATUS
Least Concern
CLASS
Mammalia
GEOGRAPHICAL RANGE
Inland Australia, excluding coastal/tropical
DIET
Herbivorous
HABITAT
Arid and semi-arid plains, grasslands, deserts
🔬 Classification
PHYLUM
Chordata
CLASS
Mammalia
ORDER
Diprotodontia
FAMILY
Macropodidae
GENUS
Macropus
📋 Description
SIZE
Males up to 2 meters tall, 55-90 kg; females 1-1.5 meters, 18-40 kg
COLORATION
Reddish-brown fur in males, bluish-grey in females; lighter underparts
ADAPTATIONS
Powerful hind legs for hopping, long tail for balance
🌿 Ecology
HABITAT
Arid and semi-arid plains, grasslands, deserts
DIET
Herbivorous
GEOGRAPHIC RANGE
Inland Australia, excluding coastal/tropical
REPRODUCTION
Single joey, 33-day gestation, pouch 6-8 months
DIET DETAILS
Grazes on grasses and shrubs, minimal water needs
⚠️ Threats & Conservation
PRIMARY THREATS
Drought, habitat degradation, vehicle collisions
💡 Interesting Facts
1
Outback Leapers: Red kangaroos hop 70 km/h, leaping 9 meters in Sturt National Park, their 90 kg bodies grazing 5 kg of grass daily. Their millions-strong population, with 50 million across Australia, faces 10,000 vehicle collisions yearly, yet thrives in arid plains.
2
Delayed Breeders: Females use embryonic diapause in Flinders Ranges, pausing pregnancy during drought, birthing 10 joeys over a lifetime in Alice Springs. This adaptation, unique to marsupials, ensures survival, maintaining stable populations despite harsh climates.
🔭 Sighting Guide
📍 BEST PLACES TO SIGHT
Sturt National Park in New South Wales northwest corner has vast plains for kangaroo sightings at dawn and dusk
Flinders Ranges National Park in South Australia rugged Outback near Wilpena Pound offers grasslands and waterholes for kangaroo sightings
Alice Springs Desert Park in Northern Territory Red Centre has a semi-natural setting with wild kangaroos in MacDonnell Ranges
🗓️ BEST TIME TO SIGHT
Scan Sturt's open plains, MacDonnell Ranges, or Wilpena Pound plains at dawn to see kangaroo mobs hopping.
🎯 SIGHTING TIPS
April-October. Dry season enhances visibility in deserts where kangaroos graze.
