Red Kangaroo

The red kangaroo is the largest of all Australian mammals, although not all red kangaroos are red in colour. They can vary from deep red males to pale grey females in some Eastern areas of the continent, but they are mostly reddish-brown. 

Kangaroos are marsupials which means that their baby or “joey” is kept and suckled in a pouch. As they grow, they pop in and out of the pouch, being officially “born” on the day they become too big to get in at all, usually around 5 – 6 months. Although, only one joey is born, a female kangaroo can suckle two at a time. Unusually for a mammal, two types of milk

Kangaroos are famed for their “boxing”. They try to push over their opponent with their front paws and, if unsuccessful, will kick out with their very powerful back legs. They move by hopping most of the time and can achieve a comfortable speed of 20 – 25 miles per hour over long distances. However, if pursued by predators or when frightened, they can reach a top speed of about 43.5 miles per hour.