How many types of kangaroos are there?

Answer 1

There are at least 65 recognised and described species of kangaroo, and they all come under the heading of "macropod". Members of the macropod family are characterised by their big feet ("macropod" means "great-footed"), their front pouches, and the fact that they move primarily by hopping.

There are three main species that are commonly called kangaroo. These are:

• The Red Kangaroo (Macropus rufus) - This is the largest marsupial in the world and the most common in Australia.
• The Eastern Grey Kangaroo (Macropus giganteus) - This species ranges over the fertile eastern part of the continent.
• The Western Grey Kangaroo (Macropus fuliginosus) - This species is found in the southern part of west Australia, near the coast of South Australia and the Darling River basin.

Other species of kangaroos are smaller, and they include:

• Wallabies, including different species of rock-wallaby, brush wallaby and swamp wallaby
• Quokkas, once thought to be a type of wallaby, but now regarded as another separate group
• Musky-rat kangaroo (the smallest of all kangaroos)
• Tree kangaroos, which live in trees, although they can easily jump to the ground from 6m up and escape along the ground if threatened. There are numerous species of tree-kangaroos. They have shorter hind legs and a long, non-prehensile tail which they use as a rudder for jumping between tree branches. They are the only type also found in New Guinea.
• Pademelons, which are the smallest of the macropod family. There are many different varities of pademelons.
• Wallaroos and euros, which come in between wallabies and kangaroos in size. They are characterised by a more thickset body, and are darker around the snout.

Then there are the potoroids - a sub-species of the kangaroo family. Examples include:

• Rat-kangaroos, which look like oversized rats around the face and ears. There are various species of these, such as the Musky rat-kangaroo and the Rufous rat-kangaroo. Rat kangaroos are different to the kangaroo-rats of North America, and not at all related.
• Potoroos, which are small and quite endangered. Gilbert's Potoroo is the most threatened marsupial species in Australia.
• Bettongs which, like the potoroo, are sometimes included in with the rat-kangaroos. They are quite small, usually weighing only a couple of kilograms when mature.