Red kangaroo
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An illustration based on the real animal.
A little discovery to share.
A newborn red kangaroo climbs up its mother's body and into her pouch by itself.
THE REAL WORLD
The real Red kangaroo
- Scientific name
- Macropus rufus
- Japanese name
- アカカンガルー
- Group
- Land mammals
- Class
- Mammalia
- Order
- Diprotodontia
- Family
- Macropodidae
- Genus
- Macropus
It lives in the dry interior of Australia and is the largest living marsupial.
When it runs, it bounds along on just its hind legs, stretching its long tail out behind to keep its balance.
It eats grasses and other plants, and by eating juicy, water-filled plants it can go a long time without drinking.
How the Red kangaroo lives
It is mostly active at dawn, dusk and night, resting in the shade during the day. It often looks for food on open plains without trees or bushes. It lives in small groups made up mainly of females and their young, with males.
University of Michigan Animal Diversity WebBasic data
Where the Red kangaroo has been recorded
Records: GBIF.org (CC0 and CC BY 4.0 records, retrieved 2026-11-07). Map: Natural EarthSee the records on GBIF
Watch wild animals from a distance. Do not touch or feed them, and take care of the places where they live.
Names around the world
- 日本語
- アカカンガルー
- 简体中文
- 红大袋鼠
- 繁體中文
- 紅大袋鼠
- 한국어
- 붉은캥거루
- Español
- Canguro rojo
- Français
- Kangourou roux
- Deutsch
- Rotes Riesenkänguru
- Português (Brasil)
- Canguru-vermelho
- Italiano
- Canguro rosso
- हिन्दी
- लाल कंगारू
- العربية
- كنغر أحمر
- Bahasa Indonesia
- Kanguru Merah
- Русский
- Большой рыжий кенгуру
- Türkçe
- Kızıl kanguru
- ไทย
- จิงโจ้แดง
Names come from Wikidata and iNaturalist records. Where a language has no recorded name, we use the scientific name.
Sources and how we check
- 多摩動物公園 — アカカンガルーChecked: 2026-11-03
- University of Michigan Animal Diversity Web — Macropus rufusChecked: 2026-11-03
We check each fact against its source. The illustrations simplify how the real animal looks.
The classification (class, order, family, genus) follows Wikidata records, checked against GBIF. Classifications can change as research goes on.
The basic data are the values given in each source. They vary with how the animal is measured, whether it is male or female, and whether it lives in the wild or in captivity.
This page was translated from the original Japanese with the help of AI.
Report a mistakeWhen you meet the Red kangaroo, look for this
- Watch for it placing its forefeet and tail on the ground and bringing its hind feet forward as it walks.
- Compare its forelimbs with its hind legs to see how much shorter and slimmer they are.
Animals do different things from day to day, so you may not always see this.
多摩動物公園EXHIBIT INFORMATION
Places that keep or show the Red kangaroo
Zoos, aquariums and other places whose official websites say they keep or show this animal.
Kanto
Displays can change with the animals’ health and the seasons. Check each facility’s official website before you go.
RELATIVES
Others in Macropodidae
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