Red Kangaroo

An iconic symbol of the Australian outback, the red kangaroo (Macropus rufus) is the largest living marsupial, and one of the most abundant and striking of all kangaroos. Standing up to an impressive two metres tall, the male red kangaroo is much larger and more powerfully muscled than the female, with larger shoulders and forearms, more heavily clawed forepaws, and thickened skin over the belly, which helps absorb the impact of kicks during fights. The male also has a rather large, bow-shaped nose. As the name suggests, the male red kangaroo is typically a rich reddish-brown in colour, while the female is more bluish-grey. However, some red females and bluish-grey males also occur, as well as individuals of intermediate shade. The underside of the body and the lower parts of the limbs are light grey to white, the paws and toes are dark, and the tip of the tail is pale, helping to distinguish this species from the grey kangaroos, which have dark tail tips. In both sexes, the face is marked with a black and white patch on the side of the muzzle and a broad white stripe along the cheek, while the tip of the nose is partially naked, and is dusky in color.