Amazingly Marvelous Marsupials! Part 7

1. The red kangaroo is not only the largest kangaroo, it's also the largest marsupial and Australia's largest mammal. A large male red kangaroo has a body length of 1.6 m / 5.25 ft, but some individuals exceed 2 m / 6.56 ft. in body length. Males are red-brown in color; females, which are significantly smaller, are gray-blue. The red kangaroo is found in arid (dry) regions across much of Australia. It is found in a variety of habitats, including grasslands, savannas, deserts and woodlands. It is herbivorous, mainly eating grasses and flowers. Faster than an Olympic sprinter, the red kangaroo can leap the length of two cars in a single bound. Will you be watching the Winter Olympics?

2. Kangaroos, wallabies, wallaroos (which are in-between kangaroos and wallabies in size) and related species all belong to the same family, Macropodidae. The four largest members of the family are kangaroos; the name "wallaby" is given to the smaller members of the family. The red-necked wallaby is also known as Bennett's wallaby. It is found in forests, shrublands and grasslands in eastern mainland Australia and on Tasmania. It has a body length of around 90 cm / 2.95 ft. Its fur is soft and gray in color, with a reddish tinge, particularly across the back of the neck. Had you heard of red-necked wallaby's before this survey?