The Zoo is
CLOSED
for the winter season.
Visit us when we
reopen in April 2010.

Eastern Gray Kangaroo

Scientific Name:	Macropus giganteus
Range:	Tasmania and Eastern Australia
Habitat:	Grasslands and open woodlands; prefers the heavy scrub and forest of the damp coast and mountains
Natural Diet:	Grasses and small plants
Zoo Diet:	Herbivore pellets, alfalfa, carrots, apples
Physical Characteristics:	Male eastern gray kangaroos are about five feet tall and weigh up to 200 pounds. Females are shorter and lighter. Their fur is short, silver-grey, and darker on hands, toes, and tail. Eastern grey kangaroos have hairy muzzles, large ears, and excellent hearing. Powerful hind legs, long feet, and a long, muscular tail make these kangaroos excellent jumpers.
Behavior:	Eastern grey kangaroos live in mobs with one large mature male, two to three females with joeys, and two or three younger males. Many mobs will graze together on grasslands. They move slowly, with all four feet flat on the ground, as they feed. Their tail acts as a support when grazing and as a balance when hopping. Eastern grey kangaroos rest in the shade during the afternoon. When the weather is extremely hot, they dig holes and sleep in the cool soil. These kangaroos talk with clucking and grunting sounds.
Reproduction:	Competition for a female may lead to fights between males. The baby, called a joey, is only an inch long and weighs less than half an ounce when it arrives in its mother’s pouch. After 11 months the joey is old enough to leave the protection of the pouch.
Notes:	Eastern grey kangaroos are frequently the cause of auto accidents in Australia. At the Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo you can see eastern grey kangaroos in the Australian Adventure Outback.

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