Kangaroo kickboxing by RobGeraghty, on Flickr

[PenPusher]

I didn't realise they had such sharp looking claws on their forepaws, if that's the correct name.

It really is a very good shot.

[RobG]

Maybe not so fun for them but I sure enjoyed seeing it. Thumbs up.

Thank you! Despite how it looks, this was a "practice bout" ny a couple of young males. I agree that it's hard to imagine that no damage was done!

---------- Post added 19-08-20 at 08:55 AM ----------

I didn't realise they had such sharp looking claws on their forepaws, if that's the correct name.
It really is a very good shot.

Thanks! I can't think of a better description than forepaws. They also have very large claws on their hind toes as well. Not as sharp as the claws of marsupials that climb trees of course.
Some ground-dwelling marsupials have very specialised toes - such as this Potoroo, that digs out grubs from around tree roots.


Little Digger by RobGeraghty, on Flickr

[PenPusher]

That's another great shot Rob thanks for sharing, on this side of the world we recognise the larger Australian mammals but I certainly know nothing about the smaller species, there is a TV series over here called Outback Truckers which gives an idea of the scale of the country and the strange to us red soil, sparse vegetation, thin population of the outback and heat which I know I could not tolerate, 20degC is regarded as being "very warm"

[carlb]

.......... and heat which I know I could not tolerate, 20degC is regarded as being "very warm"

The heat is indeed extremely hard to bear but 20 degrees C is a nice winter's daytime temperature for us

[RobG]

I mentioned that the two kangaroos in the original photo weren't the dominant adult males in the mob, this photo shows both of the biggest males. There must be a kangaroo gym somewhere...


The Boss by RobGeraghty, on Flickr

---------- Post added 19-08-20 at 08:29 PM ----------

In this shot, I swear the kangaroo on the far side is the referee of the fight, making sure that they play fair!


Round one! by RobGeraghty, on Flickr

---------- Post added 19-08-20 at 08:40 PM ----------

That's another great shot Rob thanks for sharing, on this side of the world we recognise the larger Australian mammals but I certainly know nothing about the smaller species, there is a TV series over here called Outback Truckers which gives an idea of the scale of the country and the strange to us red soil, sparse vegetation, thin population of the outback and heat which I know I could not tolerate, 20degC is regarded as being "very warm"

In Canberra last year we had a maximum temperature of just over 40C (104F). In Adelaide I have experienced 45C (113F). Conversely the maximum today was 8C (46F). The lowest temperature ever recorded in Australia was in 1994 at Charlotte Pass just below Australia's highest mainland peak, and it was -23C (-9.4F).

The heat is indeed extremely hard to bear but 20 degrees C is a nice winter's daytime temperature for us

Yeah, it's a nice early Spring temperature for Canberra. Meanwhile, the folks in the UK tend to start getting heat stroke if the temperature gets into the high 20's.

---------- Post added 19-08-20 at 08:42 PM ----------

Since there was interest in the smaller marsupials, here's a Southern Brown Bandicoot - imported to Tidbinbilla Sanctuary from Tasmania which is still fox-free.


Southern Brown Bandicoot by RobGeraghty, on Flickr

---------- Post added 19-08-20 at 08:50 PM ----------

This is a Spotted-tail Quoll (formerly known as the Tiger Cat, but it's a marsupial not even vaguely related to cats). Until foxes and cats were introduced by Europeans, Quolls and Dingos were the top carnivores in mainland Australia.


Spotted Tail Quoll by RobGeraghty, on Flickr

Unfortunately I've never been able to get a good photo of the much smaller relatives of the Quoll - the Antechinus. They used to be called native mice, but they are marsupial carnivores that will take on prey larger than themselves. I've seen many of them in northern New South Wales and Southern Queensland, but like most furry animals in Australia, they are largely nocturnal, which makes photography challenging.

Here's another small marsupial reintroduced from Tasmania - an Southern Bettong. In this case they are in Mulligan's Flat, a predator-proof open sanctuary in Canberra.


Southern Bettong by RobGeraghty, on Flickr

---------- Post added 19-08-20 at 09:02 PM ----------

The other small marsupial I have a good photo of is a Sugar Glider. It's one of the smaller species of gliding possums and weighs less than 140g (the smallest is the Feathertail glider and only weighs about 12g). The largest is the Greater Glider, which can weigh almost 2 kg. Seeing a furry animal that size gliding is quite an experience!


Sugar Glider by RobGeraghty, on Flickr

---------- Post added 19-08-20 at 09:05 PM ----------

A lot of medium sized kangaroos are known as wallabies, although strangely the Swamp Wallaby is the only living member of the Genus Wallabia.


Swamp Wallaby by RobGeraghty, on Flickr

[PJ1]

Nice shots, Rob. It is surprising how big a dominant male roo can get. There must be some hormonal change that brings it on. I have seen antechinus (or whatever the plural is) here around Toowoomba. But it is just a glimpse and they are gone. I have dunnarts around the house at Mosquito Creek. They occasionally come in the door at night and cruise around looking for whatever they are hunting. Not often though. Keep these coming.

[RobG]

Nice shots, Rob. It is surprising how big a dominant male roo can get. There must be some hormonal change that brings it on. I have seen antechinus (or whatever the plural is) here around Toowoomba. But it is just a glimpse and they are gone. I have dunnarts around the house at Mosquito Creek. They occasionally come in the door at night and cruise around looking for whatever they are hunting. Not often though. Keep these coming.

Wow, I'd love to see Dunnarts! I've seen Antechinus reliably at Mount Glorious in the Brisbane Ranges. There's also supposed to be Brush-tailed Phascogales on the outskirts of Brisbane, but I haven't seen them. Back in the 80's I photographed a Spectacled Hare-Wallaby at Carnarvon Gorge, but I haven't scanned that film.

---------- Post added 19-08-20 at 09:56 PM ----------

This photo of a Ringtail Possum is one of the best photos I ever took with the Chinon CE4s and Fujichrome 100 slide film. Sadly, the slide is lost. Green Mountains, Lamington National Park back in the days when you were allowed to feed the possums.


Ringtail Possum by RobGeraghty, on Flickr

The Ringtail is named for its prehensile tail which it is able to use as a fifth limb.

---------- Post added 19-08-20 at 10:02 PM ----------

These are Bobucks aka Mountain Brushtail Possums, in Tasmania.


Mountain Brushtail Possums by RobGeraghty, on Flickr

[Kiparisas]

Very nice picture, looks like they are dancing!

[PenPusher]

A really nice selection of well taken shots, thanks very much for sharing.

[carlb]

Great shots. We have some wonderful wildlife here.

[RobG]

Very nice picture, looks like they are dancing!

Thanks! Similar to rapdancing but slightly more violent.

A really nice selection of well taken shots, thanks very much for sharing.

Thank you!

Great shots. We have some wonderful wildlife here.

We sure do! I should find more of my photos of wallabies and pademelons. I've got digital photos of Red-necked Wallabies, Agile Wallabies and Red-necked Pademelons for sure. The only other Australian furry animal photos I can think of which I have are Koalas, Platypus, Echidna, Wombat and maybe a Rakali. I saw Greater Gliders years ago in forests near Barrington Tops, but you really need to spotlight for kilometres to find one.