kangaroo, wallabies, and a wallaroo close relationships and difference

Both kangaroos and wallabies are marsupials, meaning they carry their young around in a pouch and are similar enough that scientists have placed them in the same order, family, and subfamily.

Wallabies are members of the kangaroo clan found primarily in Australia and on nearby islands. There are many wallaby species, grouped roughly by habitat: shrub wallabies, brush wallabies, and rock wallabies. Hare wallabies are named for their size and their hare-like behavior.

Kangaroos (Ever wondered what happens in a kangaroo pouch click here) are large marsupials that are found only in Australia. They are identified by their muscular tails, strong back legs, large feet, short fur and long, pointed ears. Like all marsupials, a sub-type of mammal, females have pouches that contain mammary glands, where their young live until they are old enough to emerge.

The most obvious distinction between the two animals is their size. Kangaroos are much larger than wallabies and can grow as tall as 2metres and weight over 90kg. Wallabies, on the other hand, are lucky to weigh more than 20kg and rarely reach heights of 1m.

Kangaroos have a larger amount of height between their knees and ankles, making their legs seem disproportionately sized for their body. Their legs are built to speedily carry them across large open terrains. Wallaby, however, have compact legs, built for agility when moving across forest floors or rocky escarpments.

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