Mammals · Diprotodontia · Macropodidae

Eastern Grey Kangaroo

Macropus giganteus

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

It is the second largest and heaviest marsupial in Australia after the red kangaroo, and often stands as the emblem of Australian wildlife.

Weight

17 kg – 66 kg

Size

1.3 m – 2.1 m

Lifespan

12 years

Diet

Herbivore

Feeds mainly on plants.

Activity

Crepuscular

Active above all at dawn and dusk.

Social structure

Herd

Lives in large groups as a strategy against predators.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

Temperate forestGrasslandHerbivore Crepuscular In herds Temperate forest Grassland Mammal

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Fun facts

It feeds mainly on grasses.
It lives in open woodland, grassland and the wetter coastal country of eastern Australia and Tasmania.
Crossing males of this species with western grey kangaroo females produces fertile offspring in one direction only.
comportamientoIt swims well and will sometimes wade in to try to drown a pursuing predator, holding it under with its forelimbs.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (marsupial mammal)
Habitat & environment: Open woodland, grassland and the wetter coastal country of eastern Australia and Tasmania
Birth weight: ~0.9 grams
Size at birth: Tiny and helpless at birth
Sexual maturity: Female: 17-28 months | Male: ~25-43 months
Gestation / incubation: ~36 days
Litter / clutch size: 1 young per birth
Lifespan in captivity: Documented record of 25 years in captivity

Sources consulted: Animal Diversity Web; AnAge (genomics.senescence.info); Biology Insights; Natural World Life; Animalia.bio; Natural History on the Net; Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary; Wikipedia (Eastern grey kangaroo); ResearchGate (breeding study)