Macropodidae - kangaroos, wallabies
 There are 67 species of marsupials in this family. They are found in
Australia and New Guinea. The have long rear feet and small front legs. They can stand upright by resting on their rear feet. They are powerful hoppers, and they have long, thick tails that they use to help them keep their balance. They have long, triangular heads and large ears. They are herbivores and most species are nocturnal.
Species in this family include the
lowland tree kangaroo, the
white-throated tree kangaroo, the
black dorcopsis, the
yellow-footed rock wallaby, the
lesser forest wallaby, the
rufous hare-wallaby, the
red kangaroo, the eastern gray
kangaroo, the
black wallaroo, the
red-necked pademelon, the
quokka, and the
whiptail wallaby.
 The red kangaroo is the largest marsupial. It is found in central Australia. It stands about 5 feet tall and has a tail that is over 40 inches long. The male red kangaroo is usually reddish-brown and the female usually a bluish-gray.
The red kangaroo can't walk, it hops when it needs to move! It can leap up to six feet in the air and can hop as far as 25 feet! It can hop at speeds of up to 35 miles per hour for short distances. The red kangaroo lives in groups or pods. It is nomadic and moves from place to place in search of food.
World Status Key
 Least Concern  Near Threatened  Vulnerable  Endangered  Critically Endangered  Extinct in Wild  Extinct
Status and range is taken from ICUN Redlist. If no status is listed, there is not enough data to establish status.
US Status Key
 Threatened in US  Threatened in NH  Endangered in US  Endangered in NH  Introduced
Status taken from US Fish and Wildlife and NH Fish and Game
New Hampshire Species |
|
North/Central American Species |
| None |
|
None |
Additional Information
Key:  Profile  Photos  Video  Audio
Kangaroo and Wallaby
Did you know that Macropodidae means big feet? The animals in this family certainly earned that name! Learn more about wallabies, kangaroos and other members of the Macropodidae family!
Source: San Diego Zoo Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Elementary/Middle School
Kangaroo
Learn more about kangaroos and print out a diagram of their anatomy.
Source: Enchanted Learning Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Elementary School
Family Macropodidae
There are 54 species in this family of marsupials! Learn more about them.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle/High School
Agile Wallaby - Macropus agilis  
The agile wallaby is yellowish-brown and has a white cheek stripe. Learn more.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle/High School
Allied Rock Wallaby - Petrogale assimilis
The Allied rock wallaby is found in rocky terrain in northern Queensland, Australia.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle/High School Antilopine Wallaroo - Macropus antilopinus
Antilopine wallaroos live in the savanna woodlands of Australia.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle/High School Banded Hare-wallaby - Lagostrophus fasciatus
This wallaby is only found Dorre Island and Bernier Island in Shark Bay.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle/High School
Banded Hare-wallaby - Lagostrophus fasciatus
The banded hare-wallaby gets its name from the dark stripes on its back.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle/High School
Black Dorcopsis - Dorcopsis atrata
The black dorcopis, unlike other wallaby species, is not adapted for jumping.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle/High School
Black-footed Rock Wallaby - Petrogale lateralis
The black-footed rock wallaby uses it strong tail to keep its balance as it jumps from rock to rock.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle/High School
Black-footed Rock Wallaby - Petrogale lateralis
The black-footed rock wallaby lives on rock piles, cliffs, and rocky hills in northern South Australia, the southern parts of the Northern Territory, and Western Australia.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle/High School
Black-striped Wallaby Black-striped Wallaby - Macropus dorsalis
The black striped wallaby gets its name from the black stripe that runs down its back. Learn more.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle/High School
Black Tree Kangaroo - Dendrolagus ursinus
The black tree kangaroo has black fur and white cheeks.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle/High School
Black Wallaroo - Macropus bernardus
The Black Wallaroo is one of the smallest species in the kangaroo family.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle/High School Bennett's Tree Kangaroo - Dendrolagus bennettianus
Bennett's tree kangaroo is found in tropical rainforests in northeastern Queensland, Australia.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle/High School
Bridled Nail-tailed Wallaby - Onychogalea fraenata
The bridled nailtail wallaby gets part of its name from the white ‘bridle’ line running from the center of the neck down behind its forearms.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle/High School
Bridled Nail-tailed Wallaby - Onychogalea fraenata
The bridled nail-tailed wallaby once lived in the semi-arid region of eastern Australia. It is now only found in the Taunton Scientific Reserve in northeastern Australia.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle/High School
Bridled Nail-tailed Wallaby - Onychogalea fraenata
The bridled nail-tailed wallaby has a horny spur on the end of its tail. Learn more!
Source: Earth's Endangered Creatures Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Brush-tailed Rock Wallaby - Petrogale penicillata
The brush-tailed rock wallaby is native to Australia, but a small population of rock-wallabies can be found on the island of Oahu. They are the descendents of a pair brought to the island in 1916.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle/High School
Brush-tailed Rock Wallaby - Petrogale penicillata
The brush-tailed rock wallaby gets its name from its bushy tail!
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle/High School
Dingiso - Dendrolagus mbaiso
The dingiso was only discovered by scientists in 1994. It has a black body and white markings on its undersides.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle/High School Doria's Tree Kangaroo - Dendrolagus dorianus
The Doria's tree kangaroo is the heaviest tree dwelling marsupial in the world.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle/High School
Eastern Gray Kangaroo - Macropus giganteus
A gray kangaroo can reach speeds of over 35 miles an hour and travel for long distances at 15 miles an hour. Learn more and print out a fact sheet!
Source: National Geographic Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Eastern Gray Kangaroo - Macropus giganteus
Male eastern gray kangaroos often "box" with each other to establish dominance.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle/High School
Eastern Gray Kangaroo - Macropus giganteus
The eastern gray kangaroo eats mostly grasses, but sometimes eats herbs and shrubs.They usually graze from dusk to dawn, when it is cooler. They rest during the heat of the day. Learn more.
Source: Los Angeles Zoo Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Elementary/Middle School
Eastern Gray Kangaroo - Macropus giganteus
Male eastern gray kangaroos are about five feet tall and weigh up to 200 pounds. Learn more.
Source: Fort Wayne Children's Zoo Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Elementary/Middle School
Goodfellow's Tree Kangaroo - Dendrolagus goodfellowi
Goodfellow's Tree Kangaroo has a brown body and a yellowish belly and face. It has long claws that help it climb trees.
Source: Konica Minolta Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Elementary School
Goodfellow's Tree Kangaroo - Dendrolagus goodfellowi
Goodfellow's Tree Kangaroo is solitary and nocturnal. Learn more.
Source: Animal Planet Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Goodfellow's Tree Kangaroo - Dendrolagus goodfellowi
Goodfellow's tree kangaroo is found in dense tropical forests in Papua New Guinea.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle/High School
Gray Dorcopsis - Dorcopsis luctuosa
The gray dorcopis live in lowland tropical rainforests in eastern and southeastern New Guinea.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle/High School Grizzled Tree Kangaroo - Dendrolagus inustus
The grizzled tree kangaroo has gray fur, a long face and large, rounded ears.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle/High School
Grizzled Tree Kangaroo - Dendrolagus inustus
Grizzled tree kangaroos travel from tree to tree by leaping.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle/High School
Hill Wallaroo - Macropus robustus
The hill wallaroo is also known as the eastern wallaroo or common wallaroo. Learn more!
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Hill Wallaroo - Macropus robustus
The hill wallaroo get its name from where it lives! It can be found in mountainous pastures of eastern Australia and prefers areas with rocky outcrops or stony ground.
Source: Oakland Zoo Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Huon Tree Kangaroo - Dendrolagus matschiei
The Huon tree kangaroo has a reddish brown body. Its tail, belly, and ears are yellow. See for yourself!
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle/High School
Huon Tree Kangaroo - Dendrolagus matschiei
The Huon tree kangaroos is found only in the Huon Peninsula of Papau New Guinea and the nearby island of Umboi.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle/High School
Huon Tree Kangaroo - Dendrolagus matschiei
The Huon tree kangaroo is also known as the Matschie's Tree Kangaroo. It spends most of its time in trees!
Source: Woodland Park Zoo Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Huon Tree Kangaroo - Dendrolagus matschiei
The Huon tree kangaroo has heavy curved claws on its feet that help it climb.
Source: Oregon Zoo Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Huon Tree Kangaroo - Dendrolagus matschiei
Like its cousin the kangaroo, the Huon tree kangaroo can jump, but it does most of its jumping in the trees! Learn more!
Source: St. Louis Zoo Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Elementary/Middle School
Huon Tree Kangaroo - Dendrolagus matschiei
To keep cool, the tree kangaroo licks its forearms! Learn more.
Source: Lincoln Children's Zoo Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Elementary/Middle School Papuan Forest Wallaby - Dorcopsulus macleayi
The Papuan forest wallaby is found in the rainforests of southern New Guinea. It is grayish-brown and has a white tip on its tail.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle/High School
Parma Wallaby - Macropus parma
The parma wallaby is gray with a white throat and chest and a white stripe on its cheeks.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle/High School
Parma Wallaby - Macropus parma
Check out some photos of the parma wallaby.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle/High School
Pygmy Rock Wallaby - Petrogale concinna
The pygmy rock wallaby is found only in the Northern Territory of Australia. It has reddish fur and a long tail tipped with a bushy tuft of black fur.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle/High School
Quokka - Setonix brachyurus
The quokka has a stocky body and short brown coarse hair and lighter underparts. Learn more!
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle/High School
Quokka - Setonix brachyurus
This small marsupial is found in southwestern Australia.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle/High School Red Kangaroo - Macropus rufus
Red Kangaroos are reddish-brown with a white belly. They have black and white markings on their muzzles and white-tipped tails. Learn more and print out a fact sheet!
Source: Perth Zoo Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Red Kangaroo - Macropus rufus
Red kangaroos live over most of the central part of Australia. Learn more.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle/High School
 The Big Red Roos - Macropus rufus
To stay cool, the red kangaroos lick their arms; the moisture on their skin evaporates to cool their warm blood. Learn more!
Source: PBS Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Red Kangaroo - Macropus rufus
The female red kangaroo only has on baby at a time. As soon as it is born, it climbs into its mother's pouch and stays there for two months. Learn more and print out a fact sheet.
Source: National Geographic Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Red Kangaroo - Macropus rufus
The red kangaroo is the largest marsupial in the world, but at birth it is the size of a pinto bean!
Source: Los Angeles Zoo Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Elementary/Middle School
Red Kangaroo - Macropus rufus
You probably know that a baby kangaroo is called a joey, but did you know that a male kangaroo is called a buck, or a boomer and a female kangaroo is called a doe, or a flyer? Learn more!
Source: WWF Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Elementary/Middle School Red-legged Pademelon - Thylogale stigmatica
The red-legged pademelon is found in Australia and New Guinea.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle/High School
Red-necked Wallaby - Macropus rufogriseus
The red-necked wallaby lives in the coastal forests of eastern and southeastern Australia. Learn more.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle/High School
Red-necked Pademelon - Thylogale thetis
The Red-necked pademelon is found in eastern Australia.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle/High School Rufous Hare-wallaby - Lagorchestes hirsutus
The rufous hare-wallaby gets around by hopping on its hind legs. Learn more.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle/High School
Rufous Hare-wallaby - Lagorchestes hirsutus
Once found in the arid and semi-arid parts of western Australia and southern Northern Territory, the rufous hare-wallaby is now only found on the islands of Dorre and Bernier off the coast of Western Australia.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle/High School
Short-eared Rock Wallaby - Petrogale brachyotis
Short-eared rock wallabies are found in rocky areas near forests, woodlands, or savannahs.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle/High School Spectacled hare-Wallaby - Lagorchestes conspicillatus
The spectacled hare-wallaby gets its name from the reddish-brown ring of fur around its eyes.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle/High School
Swamp Wallaby - Wallabia bicolor
Swamp wallabies live in dense forests, woodlands, and swampy areas on eastern coast of Australia .
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle/High School
Swamp Wallaby - Wallabia bicolor
Swamp wallabies have long, dense brown fur. Their tail and legs are darker in color.
Source: Cougar Mountain Zoo Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School Tammar Wallaby - Macropus eugenii
The tamar wallaby is 18 inches from it head to the base of its tail. Learn more.
Source: National Zoo Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Elementary/Middle School
Tammar Wallaby - Macropus eugenii
The Tammar wallaby is found in Australia and New Zealand. Learn more.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle/High School
Tasmanian Pademelon - Thylogale billardierii
These short, stock marsupials are found in dense vegetation in forests in Tasmania.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle/High School
Tenkile Tree Kangaroo - Dendrolagus scottae
The Tenkile tree kangaroo has black fur, small, rounded ears, and a long tail.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle/High School
Tenkile Tree Kangaroo - Dendrolagus scottae
The Tenkile tree kangaroo is only found in the rainforests on the southern side of Mount Sumoro in Papua New Guinea.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle/High School Wallabies
There are many different types of wallabies. Like their larger cousins the kangaroos, they have large rear feet, long, strong tails, and pouches. Learn more and print out a fact sheet.
Source: National Geographic Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle School
Wallaby
Learn more about wallabies and print out a diagram of their anatomy.
Source: Enchanted Learning Intended Audience: Students Reading Level: Elementary School
Western Gray Kangaroo - Macropus fuliginosus
The western gray kangaroo use is its strong tail for balance! Learn more.
Source: Arkive Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle/High School
Western Gray Kangaroo - Macropus fuliginosus
Western gray kangaroos live in groups of up to 50 individuals called mobs. Each mob has one dominant male.
Source: Prospect Park Zoo Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Elementary/Middle School
Western Gray Kangaroo - Macropus fuliginosus
The western gray kangaroo is found in woodlands, open forests, coastal heathland, and open grassland areas.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle/High School Whiptail Wallaby - Macropus parryi
The whiptail wallaby is grayish brown and has a very long tail!
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle/High School
Yellow-footed Rock Wallaby - Petrogale xanthopus
The yellow-footed rock wallaby is grayish above and has a white belly. Its ears, legs, and feet are yellow to red in color.
Source: Animal Diversity Web Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle/High School
Yellow-footed Rock Wallaby - Petrogale xanthopus
The yellow-footed rock wallaby has rough pads on its feet that keep it from slipping as it hops from rock to rock.
Source: Australasian Regional Association of Zoological Parks and Aquaria Intended Audience: General Reading Level: Middle/High School
|
Africa 
Europe 
North/Central America 
South America 
NH Species