Kangaroo - photos

Sitting Kangaroo	Young Kangaroo	Wild Kangaroo	Wild Kangaroo
Red Kangaroo	Wallaby	Kangaroos	Wallaby

About Kangaroo

Kangaroos are large macropods which are marsupials with large powerful hind legs, used for leaping, and a long thick tail for balance. Kangaroos also include wallabies, wallaroos, and tree kangaroos, as well as smaller species like pademelons and quokkas. Kangaroos are endemic to Australia, with the exception of a number of tree kangaroos found in neighbouring New Guinea.

The word kangaroo was first recorded by Europeans as kangaru by Joseph Banks who travelled on James Cook's first voyage to Australia. The main theory is that he derived this word from 'gangurru', a word for the Grey Kangaroo in one Aboriginal dialect.

Young kangaroos are called joeys while a group is called a mob. Males are known as bucks or jacks, while females are called does or jills. The words jackaroo and jillaroo which are derived from these terms, are the names given to Australian cowboys/cowgirls.