Kangaroo and wallaby (2024)

FAQs

How to tell the difference between kangaroo and wallaby? ›

Kangaroo legs are really long between the knees and the ankles, which makes their legs oversized with respect to their body. The wallaby has more compact legs which are shorter. Color: Wallabies have much more colorful, distinct fur than kangaroos. Kangaroos have a coat of a muted color, such as brown or gray.

No. Apart from kangaroos and koalas being both marsupial mammals, they are not closely related. Also they would be physically not be able to mate.

Wallaroos ~ Macropus robustus

Despite this sharing of traits with kangaroos and wallabies, the wallaroo is not a hybrid kangaroo-wallaby cross, althought it probably appeared that way to the person who first named it a “wallaroo”. Wallaroos are found in many different kinds of habitat.

The dwarf wallaby is the smallest member of the genus and the smallest known member of the kangaroo family. Its length is about 46 cm (18 inches) from nose to tail, and it weighs about 1.6 kg (3.5 pounds).

The kangaroo superfamily consists of 2 family groups. Kangaroos, wallabies, pademelons and tree kangaroos make up one family, while rat-kangaroos, bettongs and potoroos make up the other. There are 45 species of kangaroos and wallabies.

All wallabies are marsupials or pouched mammals. Wallaby young are born tiny, helpless, and undeveloped. They immediately crawl into their mothers' pouches where they continue to develop after birth—usually for a couple of months. Young wallabies, like their larger kangaroo cousins, are called joeys.

The ANU researchers found species that originated in Asia could tolerate a wide variation in climactic conditions and were more successful at adapting to and settling in Australia, which explains why there is more Asian fauna found in Australia compared to the other way around.

All three of the large kangaroos are closely related to the smaller wallabies and wallaroos that thrive in habitats ranging from wet forests to arid grasslands.

A baby kangaroos is called a joey. Unlike the young of most other mammals, a newborn kangaroo is highly underdeveloped and embryo-like at birth. After a gestation of up to 34 days, the jellybean-sized baby kangaroo makes the journey from birth canal to pouch by clambering up through its mother's fur.

cuscus, any of the seven species of Australasian marsupial mammals of the genus Phalanger. These are the marsupial “monkeys.” The head and body are 30 to 65 cm (12 to 25 inches) long, the tail 25 to 60 cm (10 to 24 inches).

Can wallabies be domesticated? ›

The most important thing to remember is that a wallaby is an exotic animal and while they can be tamed and socialized, they are wild animals and are not encouraged as domestic pets. In some areas of Australia, wallabies have been trained to live indoors and show signs of affection with a playful spirit.

Brush wallabies of the genus Notamacropus, like the agile wallaby (Notamacropus agilis) and the red-necked wallaby (Notamacropus rufogriseus), are most closely related to the kangaroos and wallaroos and, aside from their size, look very similar.

All kangaroos have short hair, powerful hind legs, small forelimbs, big feet and a long tail. They have excellent hearing and keen eyesight. Depending on the species, their fur coat can be red, grey or light to dark brown. Their muscular tail is used for balance when hopping, and as another limb when moving about.

The four species commonly referred to as kangaroos are: the red kangaroo (Macropus rufus), the eastern gray kangaroo (Macropus giganteus), the western gray kangaroo (Macropus fuliginosus), and the antilopine kangaroo (Macropus antilopinus).

Only nine states—Alaska, California, Connecticut, Indiana, Kansas, Louisiana, Montana, Nebraska, and Washington have laws that make it expressly illegal for a person to own a pet wallaby. If you are considering getting a wallaby, the best bet is to contact your local state department for more information.