Macropod means "big foot''.
They are native to Australia and nearby islands with a few species being found in Papua New Guinea. Although members of the macropod family live in diverse habitats all over Australia and can vary in colour and size ranging from 90kg to half a kilo, they all have 'big feet' in common. They use their powerful hind legs, strong tail and big feet to cover large distances in every hop.
The species commonly called the ‘kangaroos’ are the result of an arbitrary division of the Macropodidae based on a hind foot longer than 250 mm. The kangaroos then comprise six species of which the best known are the Red Kangaroo (Macropus rufus) of the arid heartland and the Eastern Grey Kangaroo (M. giganteus), the latter being Skippy's species.
The genus Macropus includes not only the large kangaroos but a range of mid-sized macropods known collectively at wallabies or brush wallabies. The exception is the Swamp Wallaby which is in its own genus Wallabia by virtue of its different chromosome number and other features. With the advent of agriculture and pastoralism the wallabies have fared less well than the kangaroos with most species in reduced ranges since European settlement. One species, the Toolache Wallaby (Macropus greyi) is extinct. In this pattern of range contraction, the Swamp Wallaby, is again an exception as it remains reasonably abundant in many peri-urban parks and reserves.
The Eastern Grey Kangaroo has a broad latitudinal distribution up the eastern part of Australia from northern Tasmania to Cape York. Eastern Grey Kangaroo is a woodland, forest edge species grazing out from these havens of dense shelter at night onto short green pastures. Much of its former habitat has been lost to croplands, which may have exerted some westwards pressure so that it is now found on the eastern margins of the arid rangelands. We also need to recognise that climate has varied enormously over its evolutionary history and no doubt the species has occupied and perhaps dominated the far west of NSW in wetter periods in the past.
Eastern Grey Kangaroos are also primarily grass eaters. Eastern Grey Kangaroos prefer short green pasture and and their grazing will contribute to creating grazing lawns which are diverse in species composition and compact creating a strong ground cover. The creation of urban parks and golf courses with clumps of trees and permanent water provides ideal Eastern Grey Kangaroo habitat. Thus they are common in the peri-urban environment and may seen on many country golf fairways.
The reproductive biology of the Grey Kangaroos sets them apart from the Red Kangaroos. Development of the offspring is much slower so that young of comparable size permanently exit the pouch at around 320 days compared to 235 in Red Kangaroos and are weaned at 540 days compared to 360 in Red Kangaroos. Breeding is more seasonable with a broad peak in births from October through to March, although this may be more variable in the arid zone.
Females remain quite faithful to their home range and only extreme drought may cause them to move temporarily. Eastern Grey Kangaroo mothers spend a relatively long period with their young and so offer a good opportunity to observe the affectionate and endearing bond between a mother and her joey. Look out for smaller females nearby, as these may be her daughters.
Eastern Grey Kangaroos are the most social of the kangaroos and so it is rare to see one alone. One good reason to gather together in a group is that more individuals can be more attentive to possible threats from predators. The chance that someone is looking out when the predator makes its attack increases with group size. Likewise when the group flees, the distraction of many individuals following interweaving paths is greater than a single target fleeing alone.
The species commonly called the ‘kangaroos’ are the result of an arbitrary division of the Macropodidae based on a hind foot longer than 250 mm. The kangaroos then comprise six species of which the best known are the Red Kangaroo (Macropus rufus) of the arid heartland and the Eastern Grey Kangaroo (M. giganteus), the latter being Skippy's species.
The genus Macropus includes not only the large kangaroos but a range of mid-sized macropods known collectively at wallabies or brush wallabies. The exception is the Swamp Wallaby which is in its own genus Wallabia by virtue of its different chromosome number and other features. With the advent of agriculture and pastoralism the wallabies have fared less well than the kangaroos with most species in reduced ranges since European settlement. One species, the Toolache Wallaby (Macropus greyi) is extinct. In this pattern of range contraction, the Swamp Wallaby, is again an exception as it remains reasonably abundant in many peri-urban parks and reserves.
The Eastern Grey Kangaroo has a broad latitudinal distribution up the eastern part of Australia from northern Tasmania to Cape York. Eastern Grey Kangaroo is a woodland, forest edge species grazing out from these havens of dense shelter at night onto short green pastures. Much of its former habitat has been lost to croplands, which may have exerted some westwards pressure so that it is now found on the eastern margins of the arid rangelands. We also need to recognise that climate has varied enormously over its evolutionary history and no doubt the species has occupied and perhaps dominated the far west of NSW in wetter periods in the past.
Eastern Grey Kangaroos are also primarily grass eaters. Eastern Grey Kangaroos prefer short green pasture and and their grazing will contribute to creating grazing lawns which are diverse in species composition and compact creating a strong ground cover. The creation of urban parks and golf courses with clumps of trees and permanent water provides ideal Eastern Grey Kangaroo habitat. Thus they are common in the peri-urban environment and may seen on many country golf fairways.
The reproductive biology of the Grey Kangaroos sets them apart from the Red Kangaroos. Development of the offspring is much slower so that young of comparable size permanently exit the pouch at around 320 days compared to 235 in Red Kangaroos and are weaned at 540 days compared to 360 in Red Kangaroos. Breeding is more seasonable with a broad peak in births from October through to March, although this may be more variable in the arid zone.
Females remain quite faithful to their home range and only extreme drought may cause them to move temporarily. Eastern Grey Kangaroo mothers spend a relatively long period with their young and so offer a good opportunity to observe the affectionate and endearing bond between a mother and her joey. Look out for smaller females nearby, as these may be her daughters.
Eastern Grey Kangaroos are the most social of the kangaroos and so it is rare to see one alone. One good reason to gather together in a group is that more individuals can be more attentive to possible threats from predators. The chance that someone is looking out when the predator makes its attack increases with group size. Likewise when the group flees, the distraction of many individuals following interweaving paths is greater than a single target fleeing alone.
The Swamp Wallaby has a remarkably broad latitudinal range extending from Victoria to North Queensland in a largely coastal distribution but it can be found well out into Western NSW. Along the east coast of Australia, it is present in a broad gradient of habitat and shares this generalist characteristic with the Red-necked Wallaby. The two species are largely separated by the Red-necked Wallaby's preference for the ecotone between dense and open vegetation and the Swamp Wallaby's preference for dense vegetation in forest, woodland, Brigalow scrub and heath. It gets its common name "Swamp" from often associating with moist patches of vegetation with dense grasses and ferns. For example, in logged forest in south-eastern NSW Swamp Wallabies persisted in gullies with high projective shrub cover.
The Swamp Wallaby appears to have resisted the advance of agriculture and pastoralism better than most of the Brush Wallabies. It generalist habitat use, ability to browse and graze and its cryptic nature have contributed to this adaptability. However, browsing tree-seedlings and shrubs has brought it into conflict with forestry and horticulture. Where suitable habitat persists, the Swamp Wallaby is at home in the peri-urban environment and this makes it vulnerable to dog attacks and roadkill.
The Red-necked Wallaby shows pronounced sexual dimorphism with males larger (ranging from 15-27 kg to female's 11-16 kg) and move heavily muscled in the fore-arms than females. The back is grey-fawn grading to a bright rufous raiment on the neck and the rump. The undersides are white through to pale grey. Light cheek and hip stripes are visible but indistinct. Red-necked Wallabies are of similar size to Swamp Wallabies but their rufous raiments are distinctive. Eastern Grey Kangaroos do not have a cheek stripe and are grey through to chocolate with no reddish highlights.
The Red-necked Wallaby occupies a wide range of habitats but does not travel far from some form of dense cover like tall tussock grasses, shrubs and the shrubby understorey of woodland and forest. However, they range out into clear pasture and grassland from this cover to forage. Along the east coast of Australia, it is present in a broad gradient of habitat and shares this generalist characteristic with the Swamp Wallaby. The two species are largely separated by the former's preference for the ecotone between dense and open vegetation and the latter's preference for dense vegetation. The Red-necked Wallaby frequently shares habitat with the larger Eastern Grey Kangaroo but the two species rarely associate while foraging.
Contrary to some popular belief a Wallaroo is not a cross between a kangaroo and a wallaby. The Eastern (or Common) Wallaroo is a distinct species of macropod (Macropus Robustus) meaning robust long- foot, although characteristics are a combination of both which may have resulted in this popular misconception.
The Eastern Wallaroo is a common macropod with the males reaching 46kg being almost twice the size of the female 25kg. In addition to the size contrast the sexes also differ greatly in appearance. Male wallaroos are much darker in colour, almost black sometimes with markings around the jaw, compared to the light grey colour and pale underneath of the female. These differences can make them look almost like a different species.
The Wallaroo is mostly solitary but can been seen grazing in groups in highly populated areas. They rest during the day and become active at early dusk eating grasses and shrubs. A distinct feature of the Wallaroo is its loud hissing noise which is reflected in the joeys coming into care being named “Miss Hissy Fit” and the likes.
The Swamp Wallaby appears to have resisted the advance of agriculture and pastoralism better than most of the Brush Wallabies. It generalist habitat use, ability to browse and graze and its cryptic nature have contributed to this adaptability. However, browsing tree-seedlings and shrubs has brought it into conflict with forestry and horticulture. Where suitable habitat persists, the Swamp Wallaby is at home in the peri-urban environment and this makes it vulnerable to dog attacks and roadkill.
The Red-necked Wallaby shows pronounced sexual dimorphism with males larger (ranging from 15-27 kg to female's 11-16 kg) and move heavily muscled in the fore-arms than females. The back is grey-fawn grading to a bright rufous raiment on the neck and the rump. The undersides are white through to pale grey. Light cheek and hip stripes are visible but indistinct. Red-necked Wallabies are of similar size to Swamp Wallabies but their rufous raiments are distinctive. Eastern Grey Kangaroos do not have a cheek stripe and are grey through to chocolate with no reddish highlights.
The Red-necked Wallaby occupies a wide range of habitats but does not travel far from some form of dense cover like tall tussock grasses, shrubs and the shrubby understorey of woodland and forest. However, they range out into clear pasture and grassland from this cover to forage. Along the east coast of Australia, it is present in a broad gradient of habitat and shares this generalist characteristic with the Swamp Wallaby. The two species are largely separated by the former's preference for the ecotone between dense and open vegetation and the latter's preference for dense vegetation. The Red-necked Wallaby frequently shares habitat with the larger Eastern Grey Kangaroo but the two species rarely associate while foraging.
Contrary to some popular belief a Wallaroo is not a cross between a kangaroo and a wallaby. The Eastern (or Common) Wallaroo is a distinct species of macropod (Macropus Robustus) meaning robust long- foot, although characteristics are a combination of both which may have resulted in this popular misconception.
The Eastern Wallaroo is a common macropod with the males reaching 46kg being almost twice the size of the female 25kg. In addition to the size contrast the sexes also differ greatly in appearance. Male wallaroos are much darker in colour, almost black sometimes with markings around the jaw, compared to the light grey colour and pale underneath of the female. These differences can make them look almost like a different species.
The Wallaroo is mostly solitary but can been seen grazing in groups in highly populated areas. They rest during the day and become active at early dusk eating grasses and shrubs. A distinct feature of the Wallaroo is its loud hissing noise which is reflected in the joeys coming into care being named “Miss Hissy Fit” and the likes.
Orphaned Joeys |
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Each year in Australia many thousands of collisions occur between motor vehicles and animals. Kangaroos and wallabies are the predominant species involved in these crashes with night-time travel found to be a significant risk factor.
Rescuers checking dead or injured kangaroos/wallabies should always check for a joey. A joey can survive for several days inside the pouch AFTER the mother has died. In some roadkill cases, the joey may have been flung out of the pouch during the impact of the accident. It may be on the road near the mother, or if it is bigger (around 2 kilos) the joey may have left the mother’s pouch and be hiding nearby. Removal of a joey from the pouch should not be forced and do not yank at the teat as it will cause damage to the joey’s mouth and jaw. Furless and just furred joeys have their lips fused and are permanently attached to the teat - so if you find one at this stage the teat will need to be cut off the mother. If this is the case then Wildlife Rescue South Coast should be involved…... |
Joey in care © WRSC Gavin Swan
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Do not try to feed the joey anything. They need to be the correct body temperature before being rehydrated, and need special milk, special teats and those involved in vehicle collisions often need treatment for wounds and bruising. Take note of what type of macropod (i.e. colouring or specific marking) the mother is and her injuries as this may help in the assessment of any injuries the joey may have sustained. If you find a orphaned joey, wrap it in a soft cloth to keep it warm and contact Wildlife Rescue South Coast immediately.
