Kangaroo vs Wallaby: What's the Difference?
Wallabies are the smaller members of the same family. Kangaroos are the largest, with wallaroos in between. “Kangaroo” means the four largest species of the family; smaller ones are usually called wallabies.
Quick answers
They differ on 2 of the 8 quick answers: dangerous, do people eat it.
| Question | Kangaroo | Wallaby |
|---|---|---|
| What is it? | Mammal | Mammal |
| Carnivore? | No, herbivore | No, herbivore |
| Dangerous? differs | Can be | No |
| Domesticated? | No | No |
| Awake when? | Night | Night |
| Hibernates? | No | No |
| Kept as a pet? | No | No |
| Do people eat it? differs | Yes | In places |
At a glance
| Question | Kangaroo | Wallaby |
|---|---|---|
| Found in | Australia, New Guinea | Australia, New Guinea |
| Habitat differs | Grassland, Scrub | Forest, Grassland, Scrub, Mountains |
| Size differs | Large | Medium |
| Length differs | 1.3–1.6 m plus a 1.2 m tail (male red kangaroo) | 45–105 cm, plus a 33–75 cm tail (brush wallabies) |
| Weight differs | Female red kangaroos 18–40 kg; males about twice that | – |
| Legs | 2 | 2 |
| Covered in | Fur | Fur |
| Lives differs | In mobs | In groups |
| Lives for differs | 8–12 years | 10–15 years |
| Can fly | No | No |
| Swims | Yes | Yes |
| Lays eggs | No | No |
About each
Kangaroo
The largest marsupials, and the only large mammals that get around mainly by hopping on two legs. The name covers four big species: the red, antilopine, eastern grey and western grey kangaroo.
Everything on the kangaroo page
Wallaby
Small and medium-sized relatives of the kangaroo. “Wallaby” is an informal name for any macropod smaller than a kangaroo or wallaroo. Introduced populations live in New Zealand, Hawaii and the UK.
Everything on the wallaby page
Sources
Last reviewed . The answers and notes come from each animal's own page, where every source is listed.
How each answer is decided: How we answer. More look-alikes: Commonly confused animals.