Kangaroos are strongly identified with Australia. The term “kangaroo” refers to the four largest species: the Red, Eastern Grey, Western Grey, and Antilopine kangaroos. While Australia is the center of their natural existence, the answer to whether they exist elsewhere is nuanced. Macropods are found naturally outside of the Australian mainland, and small, established wild groups of their close relatives exist in other nations due to human introduction. Additionally, many species of kangaroos and wallabies live in human care across the globe, making them a common sight in international settings.
The Native Geographic Range
Kangaroos, wallabies, and their relatives belong to the family Macropodidae. This entire family is native to Australia, Tasmania, and the island of New Guinea, which is divided between the nation of Papua New Guinea and the Indonesian provinces of West Papua. The four largest species of kangaroos—the Red, Eastern Grey, Western Grey, and Antilopine—are primarily restricted to the Australian mainland. They occupy diverse habitats, from the arid central plains to the dense forests of the east.
The natural distribution of macropods extends beyond the Australian continent to New Guinea, which was once connected to Australia during periods of lower sea level. These natural populations outside of Australia are generally smaller species of macropods. Various species of wallabies and pademelons, for example, are native to New Guinea and nearby islands.
Established Feral Populations
Outside of their native range, a few macropod species have created small, self-sustaining wild populations after escaping from human care. These groups are comprised of smaller relatives, such as the Red-necked Wallaby, also known as Bennett’s wallaby. One of the most well-known feral populations exists on the Isle of Man, a British Crown Dependency. This colony originated from a pair that escaped from the nearby Curraghs Wildlife Park in 1970 and has since grown to number over 1000 animals.
Other populations have become established in various parts of Europe and the South Pacific. In France, a wild group of Red-necked Wallabies has thrived in the southern part of the Forest of Rambouillet, west of Paris. These animals are descendants of individuals that escaped from a zoological park after a storm in the 1970s. New Zealand also has multiple established populations of introduced wallabies, including the Tammar and Red-necked species, which were brought there in the 19th century. Hawaii even hosts a small, non-native population of Brush-tailed Rock-Wallabies on the island of Oahu, dating back to an escape in 1916.
Global Presence in Captivity
The most frequent way people encounter kangaroos and wallabies outside of Australia is in zoos, wildlife parks, and conservation centers worldwide. Their unique appearance and behavior make them popular exhibit animals in nearly every country with a modern zoological institution. Zoos often maintain breeding programs for several species, including the Red Kangaroo and the Eastern Grey Kangaroo.
The global movement and keeping of these animals are governed by international regulations, such as those established by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES). While the most common macropods are not generally endangered, CITES ensures that trade in certain rarer species, such as some tree kangaroos, is carefully monitored. The Red-necked Wallaby is particularly well-represented in international collections, with hundreds of zoos in Europe alone maintaining populations.
Marsupial Relatives Beyond Australia
While the large kangaroos are Australian, the broader family of macropods includes close relatives that are naturally native to the island of New Guinea and certain adjacent Indonesian islands. These include the tree kangaroos, which belong to the genus Dendrolagus. Twelve of the fourteen known tree kangaroo species live in the rainforests of New Guinea, including both the nation of Papua New Guinea and West Papua in Indonesia.
These arboreal macropods have evolved specialized adaptations for life in the canopy. Their native range extends naturally into Indonesian territory, particularly in the western half of New Guinea. Other smaller macropods, such as the Dorcopsises, which are a type of forest wallaby, are also native only to New Guinea.