Red Kangaroo

Kangaroos are marsupials, meaning they have a pouch.

When females give birth, joeys (baby kangaroos) must crawl up and into the mother’s pouch to continue developing. Their large tails are used for balance when moving and their Z-shaped hind legs are used for their powerful hops. A group of kangaroos is called a mob and consists of about 10 individuals. To keep out of the heat, they are mostly nocturnal and spend most of their day resting in the shade. When male kangaroos fight for mating rights, they can appear to be boxing with their front limbs.

Male kangaroos are called boomers or bucks and females can be called flyers or does.

The Red Kangaroo is a very large kangaroo with long, pointed ears and a squared-off muzzle. Males have short, red-brown fur, fading to pale buff below and on the limbs. Females are smaller than males and are blue-grey with a brown tinge, pale grey below. It has two forelimbs with small claws, and two muscular hind-limbs, which are used for jumping.

In Australia, kangaroos are actually considered nuisances because of their competition with livestock for resources, fence damage and being a hazard to drivers. Aboriginal people in Australia have used them for their meat and hides and are considered sacred to them.

Our Red Kangaroos of African Safari Wildlife Park

See Blossom, Grasshopper, Jason, Norman, Petal and Wobbles in the Walk-Thru Safari!

Diet: The foundation of the Red Kangaroo diet consists of plenty of grass in different varieties, shrubs, flowering plants and foliage.