Western Grey Kangaroo (Macropus fuliginosus) lives in open savanna across Western Australia, South Australia. Its conservation status is Least Concern.
Fascinating facts about the Western Grey Kangaroo
- Mature male western grey kangaroos give off a distinctive curry-like odour that has earned the species the nickname "stinker". This scent is produced by adult males and is noticeable when the animals are active at night. The strong aroma is a characteristic feature of the species and helps people identify them in the field.
- The western grey kangaroo, a nocturnal macropod, adjusts its core body temperature according to the day's ambient heat, reaching its lowest point mid-morning. In summer this minimum is 2.2 °C lower than the same point on cooler spring days. Researchers believe the cooler summer temperature lets the animal conserve energy when food is scarce, improving its chances of survival during hot periods.
- Hybrid joeys between western and eastern grey kangaroos only survive when the mother is an eastern grey and the father a western grey, a one-way cross that never happens naturally in the wild. Although hybridisation can occur in both directions where the two species overlap, viable offspring have only been recorded from this specific pairing in captivity.
- When Matthew Flinders set foot on Kangaroo Island in 1802 he shot several kangaroos for food, mistakenly thinking they were eastern greys. He recorded that the animals were taken for his expedition's provisions. A year later French explorers captured more of the same island kangaroos and sent them to Paris, where they were kept in the Ménagerie du Jardin des Plantes for several years.
- The western grey kangaroo population in the commercial harvest zones was estimated at about 3,800,000 individuals in 2020. Despite regulated culling, the International Union for Conservation of Nature lists the species as Least Concern and notes that its numbers are rising. This status reflects a stable or growing population even though the animal is sometimes regarded as a pest by ranchers. Ongoing management therefore balances harvest with conservation objectives.
Sources
Every fact above was checked against these pages, and kept only where one of them states it.
At a glance
RangeWestern Australia, South Australia
HabitatOpen savanna
DietGrass and leaves
About the Western Grey Kangaroo
As the sun rises over the Australian outback, the Western Grey Kangaroo emerges from the scrub, its powerful hind legs unfolding like coiled springs as it launches into a effortless bound, covering great distances with a fluid, unhurried gait. With each stride, its soft grey fur ripples in the morning breeze, and its large, dark eyes scan the horizon, ever vigilant for potential threats in this vast and unforgiving landscape. As it moves, the kangaroo's very presence seems to embody the essence of the outback: a testament to the enduring power and beauty of the natural world.
Hear the Western Grey Kangaroo, and 4,400+ more
Real recorded sounds, 11 nature games and a free Daily 5, 1v1 quiz duels, conservation wins and a safe Kids mode. Free on Feravox.
