Eastern Grey Kangaroo

Description:

The Eastern Grey Kangaroo is a marsupial found in southern and eastern Australia, with a population of several million. In fact, the estimated population of the species Australia-wide in 2010 was 11.4 million. It is the second largest and heaviest living marsupial and native land mammal in Australia. An adult male will commonly weigh around 50 to 66 kg (110 to 150 lb) whereas females commonly weigh around 17 to 40 kg (37 to 88 lb).

Habitat:

Prefers open grassland with areas of bush for daytime shelter and mainly inhabits the wetter parts of Australia. It also inhabits coastal areas, woodlands, sub-tropical forests, mountain forests, and inland scrubs. They'll even venture into urban areas. I've seen them hopping around parts of Brisbane in the wee hours. During the last drought in Australia, Canberra, the nation's capital, was overrun by kangaroos looking for greener pastures, ie: lush suburban lawns. These guys were spotted during a fuel stop at Halfway Creek.

Notes:

I love roos. They're amazing animals, very beautiful, and the joeys are so cute. I was delighted to see this little mob resting happily in a paddock, shaded from the midday sun. Most important, however, is that they were keeping their distance from the Pacific Highway and all its traffic. Kangaroos are the reason why I refuse to drive at night on the open highway. People have been killed colliding with kangaroos. Forget the damage to your car. If a large animal comes through your front windscreen, it will most likely continue out the back and take your head off in the process. It has happened. Other drivers have inadvertently wrapped their cars around trees trying to avoid a roo collision. I don't want to kill or be killed, so I'll drive during daylight hours thanks.