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Northern Gray Kangaroo
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Mammals |
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Africa |
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Macropodidae |
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32 to 66 K.G |
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Grassy plains, coastal moors |
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Leaves, grass |
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36 days to 11 months |
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1 |
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Dingoes, foxes, eagles |
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Abundant |
At birth, the joey is the
size of a quarter.
The Eastern Gray Kangaroo is an Australian marsupial. Its size varies between
1.5 to 2.7 metres (60 to 108 in.) including the tail, its weight varies from 32
to 66 kg (70 to 145 lbs). The silver grey fur is an almost even body coloration.
The ears seem large for the size of its head. The small front legs are used
mostly for feeding, the back legs are much more developed. These are muscular
and well adapted for jumps. At running speed it can do a 9 metres (30 feet) long
jump and up to 3.3 metres (11 feet) high! This species is only found in Eastern
Australia where there are abundant rainfalls and flourishing vegetation. Its
natural habitat is coastal moors and grassy plains, but it is also found in
subtropical forests, mountains and temperate forests. The Eastern Gray Kangaroo
feeds mostly on young leafy foliage, but it also likes leaves, grass and
brushwood. During droughts, it finds water in some types of bark and roots.
Females live in small groups, males each have their own territory which they
acquire from the others through fights. A female always has one young at a time
and the uterine gestation lasts about 36 days. After what the young, called a
joey, will complete its development inside a ventral pouch called a marsupium,
for 11 months. Only the female will take care of its young and protect it for
long months. Dingoes, foxes and eagles are considered dangerous for this animal.
Eastern Gray Kangaroos can live between 18 and 20 years in nature. Populations
are hunted for the meat and the fur. Nowadays, it is an abundant species which
has no particular status.