Tasmanian Forester Kangaroo

Scientific name: Macropus giganteus tasmaniensis



   The Tasmanian Forester kangaroo is a sub-species of the Eastern Grey Kangaroo found only the island of Tasmania which is located south of Australia. This unique species is separated from the Eastern Grey based on the differences in its skull. Studies have shown that overall their is less than 1% difference in the DNA between the two kangaroos.
   The Forester kangaroo can best be described as light brown to full gray coated mammal. They grow to be over 6.5 feet in height and 130 lbs. in weight in their adult lives. This makes them the largest of all Tasmanian marsupials. They have small front limbs with five fingers and strong legs that enable them to jump efficiently. They can jump over 30 feet in a single bound, thus making it the ideal form of locomotion. The Forester kangaroo has a long tail used for balance and stability between movements. Other physical characteristics include ears they swivel in all directions for focused hearing as well as excellent senses of smell and sight.
   This species lives on grasslands and open woodlands. Their preferred habitat of dry forest is where they eat a herbivore diet consisting of shrubs, herbs, water, and grass. The silica vitamin in grass is abrasive to their teeth and therefore these kangaroos have developed special teeth. Their incisors allow them to cut grass close to the ground. Once their molars are ground down they fall out and are replaced.
   Tasmanian Forester kangaroos engage in social behaviours among themselves. They live in small groups called "mobs". These mobs include once dominant male, 2/3 females, 2/3 young males and baby kangaroos. In order to gain entry to these mobs and dominate, males become aggressive and fight each other.

The winner is most likely to mate with the females in the mob at the breeding age of 2. The females give birth to one "joey" after a gestation period of 35 days. The joey then remains in the mother's pouch for 300 days and nurse for another 18 months once they leave.

  
   ``Natural predators for the Forester kangaroo come in few natural forms. The thylacine was once ruled a major predator but has since become extinct. Goannas and other carnivorous reptiles prey on small kangaroos when they lack other sources of food. Other predators include the wonambi, dingoes, foxes, feral cats, marsupial lions and megalania. Eagles and other birds eat kangaroo carrion. In order to flee potential deaths at the hand of these predators a Forester kangaroo will jump into water. If they are still being pursued this species will use their forepaws to drown the predator.`` (NJK, 1999, 2007)