Kangaroo: Portrait of an Extraordinary Marsupial

Marsupial specialists Stephen Jackson and Karl Vernes examine our sustained fascination with kangaroos – spannning 40,000 years – that allows these engaging marsupials to be instantly recognised by people the world over. This engaging book expands on our understanding of these fascinating marsupials, describing the three types of kangaroos – kangaroos, wallabies and rat kangaroos – and their ecology, history and behaviour. It illustrates their interaction with humans and addresses the issue of how to best manage their populations.

The amazing diversity of this group of animals is revealed, ranging from tiny forest dwellers and tree kangaroos to large majestic animals living on the open plains of central Australia and the giant kangaroos that once roamed the Pleistocene landscape. The authors also investigate the natural history of kangaroos -their unique reproduction methods, intriguing behaviour, varied diet and, of course, that trademark hopping ability- all of which make them such fascinating animals.