Eastern Grey Kangaroo

The Eastern grey kangaroo (Macropus giganteus) is a marsupial from the family Macropodidae. The grey kangaroo is a four-legged animal, but the front and back legs do very different jobs. Its hind legs are used for balance and leaps, whereas the forelegs are used for support when the kangaroo leans forward to eat and when it is moving slowly.

Size: Grey kangaroos weigh about 200 lbs. and are around 5 feet in length. The grey kangaroo is shorter but heavier than its' red kangaroo relatives.

Life Span: The average lifespan of the kangaroo in the wild is 8 to 12, and up to 20 years in captivity.

Color: Grey

Range: Eastern Australia, including Tasmania

Habitat: Grasslands and open woodlands.

Food: Various grasses

Reproduction: Gestation lasts 29-38 days after which the female kangaroo gives birth to an embryo the size of a pea. Several days before birth, the mother kangaroo begins the delicate and difficult work of cleaning out her pouch until it is free of debris. The joey will grow an additional nine months in the pouch.

Fun Facts: In captivity, kangaroos can be charming animals that are fascinating to watch. Males, if alarmed, are capable of doing considerable damage to a person with their powerful kicks, but the females often come up and nuzzle their keepers during feeding and cleaning routines.

Conservation: Kangaroo numbers are stable or increasing throughout much of Australia.