This cute marsupial is so common that the island was named after it!
Kangaroos are one of Australia’s most iconic species, and there is no better place to see them in the wild than Kangaroo Island.
These fuzzy creatures have a particularly interesting life cycle.
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Beginnings
Kangaroos breed year-round, so there is no one ‘best time’ to see them. Female kangaroos remain pregnant for just one month after mating. After a month, they give birth to a jelly-bean-sized kangaroo. They are hairless and blind and are so small that the mother can’t even touch them yet.
When the baby is born, the mother licks her fur to make a pathway. The joey then uses its sense of smell to guide its way to the mother’s pouch, pulling itself along using its sharp claws. Once in the pouch, the joey will remain there for at least another 6 months.
During this time, the joey feeds on its mother’s milk and begins to grow. Slowly, it grows fur and its eyes open before long enough, it resembles the kind of kangaroo you’re probably imagining!
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Leaving the pouch
After having a few months to develop in the mother’s pouch, the joey will begin to poke his head out. This is usually the first time it sees the outside world.
However, just because it has poked its head out, does not mean it is ready to fully emerge.
At approximately six months old, the joey will make short trips out of its mother’s pouch to explore and gain strength in walking. By 8 months old, the joey is fully independent and remains outside of the pouch. Though out of the pouch, joeys will feed on milk for up to a year before relying only on grazing.
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Having a joey
Kangaroos become sexually mature at just under two years and are capable of giving birth from then on. In the wild, many kangaroos do not reach the full age of maturity and they have adapted as a species to reproduce earlier.
Female kangaroos are quite the impressive mothers and can raise three joeys simultaneously.
You’ll see plenty of wildlife on all our Kangaroo Island tours, and if you’re super lucky you might even catch a glimpse of a joey just emerging from its mother’s pouch.
Related article: How Many Types of Kangaroos are here in Australia?