@OldBloke@OldGreyFox@Chilliboot@Furryanimal@Dachs@spitfire@Maree@butterscotch@AnnieS
You may believe Australian Kangaroos come in two Types, The Red and the Grey Kangaroos.
In fact their are over 50 sub species classified into 3 main groups.
Kangaroos, the largest of the Macropods, average male weight, 55 - 90kg
Wallaroos, Basically intermediate size Kangaroos that live in Rocky Country, average 35kg
Wallabies, medium size Kangaroos, average 25kg.
Red Kangaroo
The Red Kangaroo is the largest Kangaroo with a body length of up to 1.4m and tail up to 1m. Males tend to be orange red in colouring, while females are often blue grey. Western Grey Kangaroo
Found in semi arid habitats Southern Australia. Also known as Stinkers, they have a strong odour and are particularly aggressive.
Eastern Grey Kangaroo
The Eastern Grey is found on coastal plains, the Great Dividing Range and inland ranges where rainfall exceeds 250 mm a year. In Mobs, Males and Females have separate hierarchies. Wallaby
There are 11 species of brush wallabies. Their head and body length is 45 to 105 cm and the tail is 33 to 75 cm long. Here are 4
Northern Nailtail Wallaby
Sandy coloured fur with dark stripe from mid back to tail. May have pale cheeks and hip stripes. Agile Wallaby
This social Wallaby, the most common in Tropical Coastal Australia lives in groups of 10 and several groups will form a mob when feeding Yellow Footed Rock Wallaby
This is the Largest of the Rock Wallabies and is found in semi arid habitats. Most populous in the Flinders Ranges in South Australia Bridle NailTail Wallaby
These shy, attractive Wallabies with their slender faces and distinctive markings were named after the small, horny spur on the end of their tails.
When disturbed, the Nailtail Wallaby will drop flat on the ground or crawl quietly back into the scrub. Wallaroo
The word “Wallaroo” is a combination (in both word and meaning) of a wallaby and a kangaroo. A Kangaroo is generally large and slim-bodied. A Wallaby is typically smaller and heavy-set. A Wallaroo is right in the middle.
Black Wallaroo
This is the smallest and most timid of the Wallaroos. It is found on the Arnhem Land Escarpment and Plateau(Northern Territory) Common Wallaroo
This large, stocky Wallaroo can be found on Escarpments and rocky slopes throughout most of Australia. It is also known as The Euro Antilopine Wallaroo
While this Wallaroo mainly lives in flat or undulating country, it sometimes shares rocky habitats with Common and Black Wallaroos. Lives in groups of 8, but may form mobs of 30 when threatened.
That’s enough for today. Time for some shut eye
That last one looks like what we call a Big Red and yes they can be huge & built of pure muscle and “steel” One night many years ago soon after my return to Australia from 5-6 yrs in Europe I was driving passengers Interstatec in a 15 Tonne triple axle Coach. Heading East just this side of the Nullabor Plains I suddnly encountered in the pitch black several BIG Big Reds. Problem is that colour body & that brown countryside means almost impossible to see them in pitch dark. Also if they have a mate on opposite side of the highway nothing will stop them rushing across your path. That night I had a young lass laying across the front seat just behind me to my left side sleeping laid out. Suddenly BIG REDS! Braked as HARD as possible and thankfully managed to halt that 15 Tonnes. I then had time to look around at my passengers just in time to see that lass face emerge from behind that small partition that stopped her from tumbling down the stairwell to my left side. If anyone recalls the era of “FOO” & him peering over the wall - that is exactly what she looked like. " I think i fell off the seat" she said ever so sheepishly completely unaware that she had basically been almost thrown off her “bed” by the severity of the really harsh braking. So I explained she could blame the BIG REDS. Other passengers chuckled .
You done tremendously well to stop before hitting them.
Several encounters with Western Greys. Come across multitudes stationary either side of road with no other traffic. I stopped and got out of my car and shooed them away.
Another time came across several kangaroos on one side. I idled along and one jumped smack into the side of my car.
He hopped away, there was a dent in my door.
But I really don’t like these country places with dangerous wildlife just charging around willy-nilly You hardly ever see a wild kangaroo in Camden Town!
Kangaroos have no road sense (obviously), at night they sometimes try to jump the headlights and can come through your windscreen. The rule is, “Never Swerve” just brake hard. BTW hitting a wombat is like hitting a rock, I know two friends who have written their cars off hitting them
Personally I try to avoid driving at dusk and dawn because that is when the animals start moving about to feed. My car has a good solid bullbar for a reason. (to get those kids on their electric scooters)
We have got Wallabies in England Bretrick… The population of the red-necked wallaby in Great Britain is unknown . Established populations exist, in Scotland and on the Isle of Man (where there are an estimated 1740 wallabies). A colony in the Peak District (Derbyshire) is now thought to be extinct, as no individuals have been seen since 2000.
I know walkers and runners who came across the Wallaby colony in Derbyshire, such a strange thing to encounter in the English countryside.
