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Eastern Grey Kangaroo

One of Australia’s most iconic and abundant species, the Eastern Grey Kangaroo is a large marsupial with light grey woolly coloured fur, a darker face, and a long, muscular tail that is dark at the distal third.

Droppings are unevenly round and around 1-3cm in diameter.

Size

The Eastern Grey Kangaroo is sexually dimorphic with males significantly larger than females. Males with body length up to 130cm; tail up to 100cm; weight up to 60kg. Females with body length up to 100cm; tail up to 85cm; weight up to 40kg.

Behaviour

Movement

Eastern Grey Kangaroos are social and sometimes live in ‘mobs’ of up to 50 individuals. They are most active at night, dusk, and dawn where they graze on various grasses and plants. During the day, they will shelter under trees or scrubs.

Breeding

Breeding occurs continuously throughout the year, but most births occur in summer due to the behavioural conditions.

They have a short pregnancy period of around 36 days, after which the joey remains in the pouch for 9 months. Joeys then begin to leave the pouch but will continue to suckle occasionally. At 18 months, the joey will become fully independent.

  • Species Category: Mammals
  • Species origin: Native
  • Conservation status: Common
  • Did you know?
    • Eastern Grey Kangaroos are the second largest marsupial in the world. They can cover up to 6m in one jump, and have been recorded at 64km/hr.
    • They belong to the genus Macropus, meaning “long feet”, in reference to the kangaroos’ strong hind limbs.
    • Kangaroos are vital ecosystem engineers for the health of grassland habitats. Their grazing habits help reduce the risk of bushfires, disperse native grass seeds, and promote soil health.

  • What to Observe

    • Presence

    • Courting/Mating

    • Young in mother’s pouch

    Climate Adaptations

    Climate change is predicted to bring more seasonal and less predictable rainfall in most areas which may influence the availability of resources that influence kangaroo numbers.

  • When and Where

    When To Look

    Year round for presence of adults and young.

    Where To Look

    • Across eastern Australia from Tasmania to Cape York Peninsula.
    • Found in habitats ranging from semi-arid, woodlands, to farmland areas.
    • Often found in groups, grazing on grasses and other plants.

  • What Else?

    Similar Species

    The Western Grey Kangaroo has an overlapping range throughout north-west Victoria, west New South Wales and south-east Queensland. Western Greys have a broader, dark brown face, often with a white outline on the lower face whilst Eastern Greys are much lighter, with a grizzled grey face.

    Kangaroos may be confused with various species of wallabies. Wallabies are smaller in size with shorter limbs, and have more distinct fur markings including brown, red, or light grey. In addition, wallabies are typically solitary while the Eastern Grey Kangaroo will usually be seen in groups.
  • Trails: Sunshine Coast Doonan Creek QLD
  • Species Region: Australia