Eastern Grey Kangaroo - Macropus giganteus

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Eastern Grey Kangaroo - Macropus giganteus

[Public Domain] 10 Jan 2006 Dylan O'Donnell
CATEGORY : Species
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There are some photos going around the internet of a kangaroo that appears to jump into the surf and swim away. The sequence of photos presented however show little more than a kangaroo being coerced into the water by the photographer who chases the animal further in until it is well into the water near the breakers. The behavior is a defensive one to lure the predator into the water where the kangaroo can then use its powerful legs to disembowel, stun or drown the attacker.

This photo however tells a much different story, as you can see the Kangaroo is jumping across, and not away from me. In reality I was sitting for up to 45 minutes at the other end of a beach pondage watching this male eat the grass on the other end. As the sun lowered, the kangaroo slowly made its way to the edge, then leaped into the water and crossed to other side to meet with its mate and joey where they continued to graze (and I continued shooting).

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