Kangaroo vs. Wallaby — What's the Difference?

An animal known for carrying its young in a pouch.

A smaller relative of the kangaroo, native to Australia.

A large marsupial native to Australia with powerful hind legs.

A marsupial with shorter and more muscular legs than kangaroos.

A herbivore primarily grazing on grasses.

An animal that carries its young in a front-facing pouch.

A species with strong jumping abilities.

A herbivore with a diverse diet including leaves and shrubs.

The kangaroo is a marsupial from the family Macropodidae (macropods, meaning "large foot"). In common use the term is used to describe the largest species from this family, the red kangaroo, as well as the antilopine kangaroo, eastern grey kangaroo, and western grey kangaroo.

A creature that inhabits more wooded or rugged areas.

Any of various large herbivorous marsupials of the family Macropodidae of Australia and adjacent islands, having short forelimbs, large hind limbs used for leaping, and a long tapered tail.

A wallaby () is a small or middle-sized macropod native to Australia and New Guinea, with introduced populations in New Zealand, Hawaii, the United Kingdom and other countries. They belong to the same taxonomic family as kangaroos and sometimes the same genus, but kangaroos are specifically categorised into the four largest species of the family.

A member of the Macropodidae family of large marsupials with strong hind legs for hopping, native to Australia.

An Australasian marsupial that is similar to, but smaller than, a kangaroo.

A hooded jacket with a front pocket, usually of fleece material, a kangaroo jacket.

Any of various marsupials of the family Macropodidae of Australia and adjacent islands, resembling kangaroos but generally smaller.

To practice kangaroo care on an infant; to hold a premature infant against the skin.

Any of several species of marsupial; usually smaller and stockier than kangaroos

(intransitive) To hunt kangaroo.

Any one of numerous species of kangaroos belonging to the genus Halmaturus, native of Australia and Tasmania, especially the smaller species, as the brush kangaroo (Halmaturus Bennettii) and the pademelon (Halmaturus thetidis). The wallabies chiefly inhabit the wooded district and bushy plains.

(intransitive) To move like a kangaroo.

Any of various small or medium-sized kangaroos often brightly colored

Of or relating to Australia.

Characterized by rapidly jumping prices in securities markets or by belief that the prices are unstable in contrast to bear and bull markets.

Any one of numerous species of jumping marsupials of the family Macropodidæ. They inhabit Australia, New Guinea, and adjacent islands, They have long and strong hind legs and a large tail, while the fore legs are comparatively short and feeble. The giant kangaroo (Macropus major) is the largest species, sometimes becoming twelve or fourteen feet in total length. The tree kangaroos, belonging to the genus Dendrolagus, live in trees; the rock kangaroos, of the genus Petrogale, inhabit rocky situations; and the brush kangaroos, of the genus Halmaturus, inhabit wooded districts. See Wallaby.

Any of several herbivorous leaping marsupials of Australia and New Guinea having large powerful hind legs and a long thick tail

A symbol often associated with Australian culture and identity.

Shorter, muscular legs make wallabies more agile in wooded or rugged areas.

Wallabies are generally knee-high to humans, while kangaroos can be much taller.

While primarily native to Australia, some kangaroo species inhabit nearby islands.

Yes, both female kangaroos and wallabies have pouches to carry their young.

Yes, both can swim and have been known to do so to escape predators.

Yes, including dingoes, eagles, and in some areas, humans.

There are more species of wallabies than kangaroos.

Some species are at risk, but others have stable populations.

They are mainly crepuscular, being most active during dawn and dusk.

Both use their strong hind legs to kick as a defense mechanism.