Zookeeper Patti Rader feeds Dickerson Park Zoo's kangaroos their zoo diet.
Scientific Name: Megaleia rufa
Range & Habitat: Australia; plains and open forest country
Size: 6-8 feet; may weigh up to 200 lbs.
Life Span: 15-20 years
Gestation: 35 days
Wild Diet: Grasses and succulent plants
Zoo Diet: Mazuri kangaroo diet, apples, carrots, lettuce, alfalfa hay and sweet potatoes
Habits: The giant red kangaroo is the largest member of a group of pouched mammals in the order Marsupialia. They live in groups called mobs, traveling great distances with no fixed homes. The males, called boomers, are larger and redder in color than the females, called flyers.
At birth, the young joeys are less than an inch long, naked and blind, and weigh about an ounce. Immediately after birth the joey finds its way to the pouch where it lives for the next four to six months.
The kangaroo's normal rate of travel is 5-10 mph, but can reach speeds of up to 30 mph. The broad, heavy tail is used as a prop when sitting or moving slowly to give impetus to hops, and it gives balance and control to the body during flight. Kangaroos enjoy "boxing" matches with each other and will balance on the tail while boxing and kicking. If cornered or frightened, the kangaroo will balance on the tail and kick with both feet in an effort to kill or injure the attacker.
Status: Threatened
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