You may have seen videos of kangaroos online with bulging muscles, towering over people. Whilst you can not believe everything you see on the internet, it is true that kangaroos can grow very tall and get pretty ripped.
All in all, there are 45 species of kangaroos and wallabies, and they all come in different sizes. Some, such as the musky rat kangaroo are no more than six to eight inches tall, weighing only 12 ounces on average.
Then, there are the Giant Red kangaroos, which grow as tall as 4.9 feet (1.5 meters) on average. However, some large males can stand as tall as 5.9 feet (1.8 meters), with the largest male recorded being a whopping 6.9 feet (2.1 meters)!
Of course, the average kangaroo tends to be around 0.8 to 1.8 meters in height whilst females are typically a lot shorter. But, as we mentioned, this varies significantly from one kangaroo species to another.
To learn more about how tall a kangaroo can grow, read on! Today, we will be comparing the height of different kangaroo species as well as wallabies, another member of the marsupial family.
How Tall Can A Red Kangaroo Get?
The largest of all mammals and kangaroos belong to Australia is considered to be the Red Kangaroo. Some adult male red kangaroos can grow up to 5.9 feet (1.8 meters) but, on average, they tend to be between 1.3 and 1.6 meters tall.
A female red kangaroo is generally much shorter at about 0.85 to 1 meters in length.
However, this does not include the tail. With this included, the total length of a male red kangaroo is extended by 1 to 1.2 meters, whereas a female’s length extends another 0.65 to 0.85 meters.
The Giant Red kangaroo is the largest of all kangaroos, with one, in particular, becoming an internet sensation until his death in 2018.
Roger, a kangaroo who lived in Alice Springs, Australia was a true beast! After his mother was hit by a car and died, Roger was found by Chris Barnes who later set up a kangaroo sanctuary in Northern Australia.
Bringing up Roger, Chris acted as the kangaroo’s mother, until Roger grew up… and up… and up!
The reason Roger became so famous around the world was because of his muscular physique, extreme height, and weight.
He grew up to 6.5 feet (2 meters) and weighed a colossal 91 kilograms (200 pounds). With such a domineering frame, Roger became the alpha male with 12 wives.
Check out Roger in this video to see his muscular physique for yourself!
How Tall Can A Western Gray Kangaroo Get?
Western Gray kangaroos are much smaller than their red counterparts, as well as Eastern Gray kangaroos.
On average, a Western Gray kangaroo tends to grow between 0.8 to 1.2 meters. When standing on its hind legs, it reaches about 4.3 feet (1.3 meters) tall. The length of its tail tends to add another 0.5 to 1 meter in length.
As with Red kangaroos, the Western Gray species sees a distinct difference in male and female heights. A female Western Gray kangaroo is typically much shorter than a male, with many of the males being twice as tall as females.
This species of kangaroo typically lives in open forest regions, mallee scrubland, coastal heathland, and woodland where there is usually more than 250 millimeters of rainfall. Most inhabit Western Australia (hence the name).
How Tall Can An Eastern Gray Kangaroo Get?
An Eastern Gray kangaroo is typically larger than a Western Gray but smaller than a Red kangaroo.
On average, the height of an Eastern Gray kangaroo is about 0.95 to 1.8 meters. But, their powerful, large tail can add another 0.43 to 1.1 meters in length.
Not only is the Eastern Gray kangaroo much smaller than its Red counterpart, but it is also much lighter. Compared to the weight of a male Red kangaroo (around 55 to 90 kilograms), a male Eastern Gray kangaroo only weighs about 50 to 66 kilograms.
The same goes for females with Red kangaroos usually weighing between 18 and 40 kilograms, whereas female Eastern Grays weigh between 17 and 40 kilograms on average.
The difference in the height and weight between males and females is seen across all species of kangaroo. This is because of sexual dimorphism, where the males and females are different from one another beyond their sexual organs.
Not only are female kangaroos generally smaller, but they can be half the size of males. Moreover, males and females also look quite different from one another, too.
The Eastern Gray kangaroo inhabits eastern regions of Australia, mainly along the coastline in states such as New South Wales, Queensland, and Victoria.
Tasmania is also home to its own kangaroo known as the Tasmanian Eastern Gray kangaroo.
How Tall Can An Antilopine Kangaroo Get?
The closest in relation to the Red kangaroo, the Antilopine kangaroo is found in the tropical woodlands of Australia, especially the Northern Territories, Cape York Peninsula, Queensland, and the Kimberley area in Western Australia.
Although smaller than the Red kangaroo, the Antilopine is much smaller in stature and size. On average, male Antilopine kangaroos grow to around 4 feet (1.2 meters) tall. Including its tail, it can be 0.9 meters longer than this.
Female Antilopine kangaroos are typically much smaller than males with average lengths of only 2.7 feet (0.84 meters). The tail can add another 0.7 meters to its length, though.
When standing upright, an Antilopine kangaroo is typically about 3.6 feet (1.1 meters).
Are Kangaroos Or Wallabies Bigger?
Kangaroos and wallabies are both parts of the marsupial family, and although they share an abundance of similarities, kangaroos grow much larger than wallabies.
An average wallaby tends to grow to heights of around 1 meter (usually less) on average, with weights hovering around 20 kilograms. Kangaroos, on the other hand, can be double this height at 2 meters and weigh over 90 kilograms.
Kangaroos also have a greater height between their knees and ankles. Therefore, their legs are deemed to be disproportionate compared to the rest of their bodies.
Nevertheless, their legs are built for strength and move quickly across large, open pieces of land.
Wallabies have more compact legs and are built better for moving across rocky terrain and forest floors.
Of course, there are many species of wallabies and kangaroos, so these measurements differ from one to the other. But, as a rule of thumb, these are the numbers to go off when determining the difference in sizes between the two mammals.
In Summary
Kangaroos can grow very tall. Although some are very small, almost looking like rodents, large Red kangaroos can grow as tall as six foot nine inches, but this is rare. The height of a kangaroo depends on what species it is, but on average, the largest rarely grow more than five foot nine.
Kangaroos, iconic to Australian wildlife, showcase remarkable height variability. The Macropus genus encompasses these marsupials, with dominant males. Their pouches nurture joeys, representing varying species like wallaroos. Notably, powerful hind legs aid their signature hopping. Male kangaroos, often the tallest, exemplify dominance within the species, with their size differing among individuals.
Hi, I’m Olivia Kepner and I am a zookeeper here in San Diego. Since I was a young girl I have always been fascinated by animals and species across the globe.
I used to beg my parents to take me to our local zoo every single weekend. Well, I say local – it was more like a two hour drive away. But they took me as much as they could, allowing me to fall in love with the animals again and again.
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