Do Kangaroos Eat Meat? (And Eat Dogs?)

Kangaroos occupy most Australian woodlands, forests, plains, and savannas. You can also find them in the surrounding islands. Each species occupies a particular habitat and will have a diet that is mainly accessible. Kangaroos have two stomachs and chew their food twice before proceeding with digestion. But do kangaroos eat meat?

There are many stories concerning the kangaroos’ diet. Knowing whether kangaroos eat meat whenever they come across it, especially when hungry, is challenging. Our team researched from the most trusted sources and provided answers to the most burning questions concerning the kangaroos’ diet in this article.

Read: Do Kangaroos Drown People?

Contents

Do Kangaroos Eat Meat?

Kangaroos generally don’t eat meat. They are herbivores, which means their diet consists of grass, trees, and tree products. They have a specialized digestive system to extract valuable nutrients for growth and other body metabolic systems. Kangaroos love eating shrubs, bush leaves, grass, ferns, moss, flowers, insects, and small birds.

Tree kangaroos, for example, eat small birds they find in the trees. It’s for this reason most people mistake being omnivores. Kangaroos lack the skills and body tools to hunt for meat. Besides, their digestive system is not specialized to handle a meat diet.

However, under extreme drought, they can eat some small insects only for survival. Like cows, they have multiple stomachs for storing and digesting food. Kangaroos have two guts. The first stomach contains bacteria and fungi to ferment plant matter.

During this time, the kangaroo frequently vomits the food to chew it into the finer and digestible matter and swallow it to the next chamber, where digestion occurs.

Do Kangaroos Eat Dogs?

No, kangaroos do not eat dogs. Dogs are a great enemy to kangaroos, and kangaroos will do anything possible to kill them, but not for food. Kangaroos are generally herbivores and like eating anything made of plants and plant products. They have a digestive mechanism that supports only plant digestion.

Being so smart, kangaroos love tricking dogs but taking them near water bodies during their fights. Because they are strong, they can drown the dog to death. A fully grown kangaroo is stronger than most dogs. It can hold a dog, suffocating it to death, or leave it with severe injuries.

Like wolves and other predators, dogs also eat kangaroos’ meat. Therefore, they are a great enemy to their young ones; the joey. Kangaroos will do anything to protect their territories from any predators.

Do People Eat Kangaroo Meat in Australia?

Yes, people eat kangaroo meat in Australia. The meat is readily available in supermarkets and some butcher shops. Most of the food is minced or find it in small pieces; most people also use it as food for pets.

However, there are strict regulations regarding the killings of kangaroos, and it’ll require a license. According to research, kangaroo meat is low in fats and of health benefits to most people with some health issues. Unlike most animals, kangaroos waste less methane and are environmentally friendly.

Most Australian lands are not farmed; therefore, kangaroo meat is very healthy and free from chemicals like antibiotics and any added chemicals. The meat is high in zinc and iron; it is high in protein and a source of omega-3. 

kankaroos-eating-flowers

How Do Kangaroo Eat?

Kangaroos eat, bending low on their four limbs to feed on the ground food. However, some species live in trees. These species will eat eggs, snakes, insects, or even birds if given the opportunity. But most of the foods they eat come from browsing in the trees.

Kangaroos are generally herbivores, so they concentrate mainly on tree leaves and other plant products like fruits and berries.

They also chew the cud; they have two stomachs that allow them to do so. When grazing, they do not eat their food to finer particles. Instead, they swallow to grind further when relaxed. Kangaroos are mainly active during the night and will spend most of the night hours feeding and looking for better feeding grounds and water.

During the day, they take shade under the trees, bushes, and shrubs. During this time, they vomit a little to chew and then swallow to the next stomach for further digestion.

What Do Kangaroos Drink?

Kangaroos drink water and fruit juice from wild plants. Kangaroos are best known for traveling long hours searching for permanent water from rivers, especially during the dry season or when water is scarce. Kangaroos like living in places with plenty of vegetation.

Therefore, they get some water from the fresh vegetation they eat. They love chewing herbs, grass, and shrubs. This could be the reason why they hydrate and get the vegetation water.

During wet seasons, kangaroos normally get water from the grasses they eat. During this time, water loss from their body is minimal, and they’re less likely to consume direct water from water sources. The body of the kangaroo is well adapted to the environment they live in. Its body system stores water, and during the dry season, it can go for days without drinking anything.

What Do Kangaroos Love to Eat?

Kangaroos love to eat grasses, ferns, moss, fruits, leaves, and other vegetation. Generally, kangaroos are herbivores and will eat anything made of plants and plant products. However, their diet heavily relies on the environment they live in.

Each species is well adapted to its habit and loves eating the type of plants and other vegetation available—tree kangaroos like eating plant leaves because they are readily available on the tree tops.

However, there are cases where most people confuse kangaroos with omnivores. This could be because they consume some insects, small birds and eggs, and snakes. This is a very common diet for the tree kangaroo. Although it uses other food, it is a herbivore and relies mostly on vegetation for its diet.

Where Do Kangaroos Find Food?

Kangaroos find food from the vegetation. They are herbivores and rely mostly on plants diet. They love eating grass, ferns, some plants, flowers, moss, berries, wild fruits, and any plant product they come across. Their body has a mechanism that can digest food from the plant and plant products they eat.

However, their diet also varies with the specie and the environment they occupy. Different regions of Australia have different vegetation. Kangaroos will occupy regions of the savannah to the far north.

Also, they are found on the islands and in wet grasslands and dry woodlands. Kangaroos are known to travel more than 10 miles in search of nice feeding grounds and water. During the dry season, you’ll find a troop of kangaroos concentrated in small grazing areas where food is available.

Is It Safe to Feed a Kangaroo?

It is not safe to feed a kangaroo. Kangaroos are wild animals and can become aggressive anytime and eventually hurt you. However, it can be safe to feed a domesticated kangaroo.

Wild kangaroos are generally shy and do not like human presence. They will see you as a threat whenever you approach them. They’ll need more time to learn that you’re of benefit to them and treat you as a friend.

Kangaroos are very strong animals. They have powerful paws and strong hind legs. They can deliver strong kicks and bites. Like other wild animals, they do not like humans approaching their territories. They are very protective of their young ones and could see you as a threat. Their body size can grow to between 30 to 95kg. Male kangaroos are the largest depending on the specie when fully grown. Besides, they are much more aggressive than the mothers. Their body strength goes hand-in-hand with their body weight.

What Do Baby Kangaroos Eat?

Baby kangaroos drink milk from their mother. There are three teats in the mother’s pouch where joey sucks its milk. The joey navigates the poach during birth and uses instincts to locate the teat. It hangs tightly and sucks the mother’s milk once it locates the teat.

Inside the kangaroos, the pouch is a favorable environment for the growth of the joey. After birth, joey can be as tiny as the bean grain. They are more vulnerable to outside condition and will only come out when it is grown and can hop.

When it is young and can hop, it comes out of the pouch to navigate the wild with its mum but enters the pouch once it senses danger. During this time, it slowly practices eating grass while sometimes sucking the outside teat for milk. With time it grows teeth and continues making the vegetation its favorable diet.

Final Verdict

Kangaroos are generally herbivores; therefore, their main diet is plant products. Also, they feed on grass, moss, fern, plant leaves, flowers, wild fruits, berries, and other vegetation products found in their habitat. Their stomach is well modified and is capable of utilizing and digesting plant material and absorbing the nutrients to their body for various body mechanism processes.

Kangaroos are known to travel for miles searching for nice feeding grounds and water. During the dry season, their body reduces water loss and stores water. A kangaroo can go for days without consuming water. During the wet season, kangaroos get most of their water from fresh vegetation, therefore, reducing direct consumption of water from water sources.

Disclaimer: This blog should not be considered as being professional pet medical advice. The content published on this blog is for informational purposes only. Please always consult with a licensed and local veterinarian for medical advice.

About Shaun Clarke

Shaun is passionate about pets and animals, especially dogs, cats, and rabbits. He owns a dog and a couple of cats too. He loves visiting wildlife sanctuaries and shares a strong bond with animals. When he is not writing, he loves to do a barbecue in the backyard with his family and friends.