Eastern Grey Kangaroo
Macropus giganteus
Canberra, Australia - September 2010
The Eastern Grey Kangaroo is the second largest marsupial in the world, with males standing on average 1.5m tall and weighing up to 65kg.
female and joey - Canberra, Australia - September 2010
Mature females are permanently pregnant, although the embryo's development is paused if the pouch is still occupied by the previous joey. After birth the peanut-sized newborn crawls up the birth canal and into the pouch where it attaches itself to one of the females nipples. It remains permanently attached to the nipple for 70 days and first pokes its head out of the pouch when it is about 5 months old. It permanently leaves the pouch about 7-8 months after its birth and is finally weaned from its mother's milk after about 1 year.
 joey |
 female & joey |
Canberra, Australia - September 2010
Eastern Grey Kangaroos are quite sociable and tend to live in organized groups, or "mobs". Within each mob the males have a heirarchal system and disputes over rankings are resolved by boxing matches.
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Canberra, Australia - September 2010
One strategy Kangaroos employ to prevent overheating is to lick the undersides of their forearms. The blood vessels are close to the surface here, and the evaporation of the saliva from the skin helps to cool the blood and lower their body temperature.
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Canberra, Australia - September 2010
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Grampians National Park, Victoria, Australia - October 2010
Grampians National Park, Victoria, Australia - October 2010
Grampians National Park, Victoria, Australia - October 2010
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