Description
The Red Kangaroo (Osphranter rufus) is a mammal indigenous to Australia. It inhabits arid and semi-arid central australian deserts and grasslands.
Habitat
Extended Data
Taxonomy
Fun Facts
The red kangaroo is the largest living marsupial — males can reach 2 meters tall and weigh up to 90 kg (200 lbs)
They can hop at speeds up to 70 km/h (43 mph) and leap over 3 meters (9 feet) in a single bound
Australia's kangaroo population is abundant and actually increasing — they are the most numerous large wild mammal on the continent
The red kangaroo appears on Australia's coat of arms alongside the emu, chosen because neither animal can walk backwards — symbolizing a forward-looking nation
Females can pause their pregnancy at the embryo stage (embryonic diapause) until conditions are favorable for raising a joey