Eastern Grey Kangaroo
Macropus giganteus
Also known as: Eastern Gray Kangaroo, Forester, Great Grey Kangaroo, Scrubber, Scrub Kangaroo
About This Species
A grazing marsupial of open forest, woodland, and grassy clearings across eastern Australia, it forms loose mobs and feeds mainly at dusk, overnight, and into early morning, resting in shade through the heat of the day. Grassy paddocks and woodland edges near tree cover are the most reliable places to find grazing groups, particularly in the cooler hours around sunrise and sunset. Golf courses, reserves, and rural roadsides at these times often offer easy, low-disturbance viewing.
Ethical Viewing Guidelines
- Keep at least several tens of metres back and never approach directly, since large males can act aggressively if they feel cornered or if people or dogs get between them and the rest of the mob, and kicks from the powerful hind legs can cause serious injury.
- It is protected under Australian state wildlife legislation, which restricts harassment, feeding, and capture, and drivers should watch for animals crossing roads at dawn and dusk in rural areas.
- Never attempt to touch, feed, or corner an individual, and give extra space to any animal with young.
Seasonal Activity
205,732 sightings · 2000–2026
Citizen science records via GBIF
Classification
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Phylum
- Chordata
- Class
- Mammalia
- Order
- Diprotodontia
- Family
- Macropodidae
Photo
(c) Shane Walker, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Shane Walker
CC-BY-4.0
Occurrence data from GBIF.