Western Grey Kangaroos
The Western Grey Kangaroo (Macropus fuliginosus) is a large and very common kangaroo or macropod, found across almost the entire southern part of Australia.
The subspecies on Kangaroo Island, South Australia is known as the Kangaroo Island, kangaroo. The Western Grey Kangaroo is one of the largest kangaroos in Australia. It weighs 28-54kgs and its length is 0.84-1.1mt with a 80-100cm tail, standing approximately 1.3mts tall.
It exhibits sexual di-morphism with the male up to twice the size of the female. It has thick, coarse fur with colouring ranging from pale grey to brown, its throat, chest and belly have a paler colour. The kangaroo feeds at night, mainly on grasses but also on leafy shrubs and low trees. It has the name "Stinker" because mature males have a distinct curry like odour!
The kangaroo lives in groups of up to 15. The males compete for females during the breeding season. During these "boxing" contests, they would lock arms and try to push each other over. Usually the dominant male in the group mates. The gestation period is 30-31 days, after which the baby joey attaches to the teat in the female pouch for 130-150 days.
There are two subspecies of the Western Grey Kangaroo:
Macropus fuliginosus fuliginosus of Kangaroo Island, and
Macropus fuliginosus melanops, which has a range of different forms that intergrade clinally from west to east.
The Western Grey Kangaroo is also referred to as a Black-faced Kangaroo, Mallee Kangaroo, Sooty Kangaroo and Carno Kangaroo.
Kangaroos are the largest living marsupials in the world and are usually red or grey.The Australian Coat of Arms has a Kangaroo and Emu holding a shield with symbols representing the six states.
Canon 5D MKlll
Lens EF100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM
"MISTY"
Misty has her own story to tell as she was raised by Coralie and Smilie, owners of the Rustic Blue Museum/Gallery on Kangaroo Island.
Misty was a joey and found alive in her mothers pouch after a car accident, quite young but capable of being hand-reared. She survived but sadly her mother was killed as many kangaroos become victims especially on the roads on Kangaroo Island.
We met Misty when she was only around a year old and the photo below shows her asleep in the dandelions on Coralie and Smilie's property. Misty has now grown into an incredibly gentle kangaroo who has just become a mother herself.
If you travel to Kangaroo Island, we are certain that if you call into the Rustic Blue Museum/Gallery it is more than likely that you will meet "Misty", her joey and hear of her story.
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| "Misty" Rustic Blue Museum/Gallery |
Canon 7D
Sigma 50-500mm lens
Please come back and visit: www.wingsandwildlifephotography.com.au
What a Wonderful story and informative, good can endure the bad! Andy
ReplyDeleteThank you Andy,
ReplyDeleteYes good can endure bad and on Kangaroo Island, the locals ask that if there has been a kangaroo hit on the road! then check to see if it is a female with a possible joey inside the pouch. Amazing how long the joey can survive and equally amazing how they can be reared from such a young age.
Sometimes you can be "lucky" enough to see these joey's being hand reared at a few of the sales outlets around the Island.
Bev Turner, owner of Emu Ridge Eucalyptus is a shining example of how to rear and care for young animals that have lost their mother's at too young an age to survive on their own!
Cheers ... Gillian