Kangaroo
JOEY is our sweet, confident red kangaroo joey who joined the Animal Tracks family at just a few months old. He came to us through our trusted partner sanctuary, Conservation Ambassadors, and we are deeply grateful to continue his care and journey.
At around six months old, Joey is still very much a baby. In the wild, red kangaroo joeys remain safely tucked inside their mother’s pouch for many months — and Joey is no different! He loves curling up in his cozy pouch, where he feels secure and comforted. It’s his safe place, just as nature intended.
Our Director, Stacy — a lifelong animal behaviorist with a special passion for primates and wildlife psychology — along with our dedicated volunteer team, provides Joey with round-the-clock care that mimics the nurturing environment he would have in the wild. From proper nutrition to gentle socialization, every step of his upbringing is focused on his physical and emotional well-being.
As he grows, Joey will continue to develop the strength in his powerful back legs, practice those iconic kangaroo hops, and explore his surroundings with curiosity and confidence. Red kangaroos are the largest marsupials in the world, native to Australia’s vast landscapes, and Joey carries that incredible wild legacy within him.
ORDER: Diprodontia
FAMILY: Macropodidae
GENUS: Osphranter
SPECIES: Rufus
Kangaroos are iconic symbols of Australia. The red kangaroo is the largest marsupial alive today. The male stand 6 feet tall on his tip toes, the female 4 feet. He is the protector, and she is the nurturer. They live in a mob or group of about 10 animals most of which are female and joeys. There is only 1 jack and maybe a few immature young males. They are grassland grazers and prefer dawn and dusk due to favorable temperatures. Kangaroos can jump 6 feet high but their real strength is in the long jump, which can be 30 feet. Kangaroos are the only large mammal to hop as their main form of locomotion. They breed year round and the female is pregnant for only 32 to 34 days. The baby is born the size of a pinto bean, blind and no back legs. It follows a scent path to mamas’ pouch, finds a milk source and latches on for about 70 days. The joey will start to take short excursions from the pouch at about 5 months old. Mama will nurse the baby for a year but at 8 months the baby is ready to join the family group outside the pouch. Females mature at different times depending on drought. In good water years they start breeding around 18 months but during drought they will wait sometimes up to 5 years of age.
Threats
The biggest threat to kangaroos is humans. Though they bring in great revenue for Australia, some think of them as pests or hunt them for their meat and leather.
Conservation Status
LC - Least Concern