20 Animals Like Kangaroos (with Pictures)

Examples of animals like kangaroos include wallabies, wombats, bandicoots, dunnarts, and koalas.

Kangaroos are one of the most easily recognizable animals on the planet. With their large, bouncy back legs and characteristic tail, it’s hard to mistake a kangaroo for anything else. But did you know that there are animals out there that look strikingly similar to kangaroos?

In this blog post, we’ll take a look at some of these creatures and explore the reasons why they share such a resemblance.

Examples of Animals that Look Like Kangaroos

1. Black-flanked Rock-wallaby

The Black-flanked Rock-wallaby is a small marsupial found in Australia. It’s one of the most common rock-wallabies, and is easily distinguished from other wallabies by its black face and and arms.

While the Black-flanked Rock-wallaby may look like a miniature kangaroo, it’s actually more closely related to the quokka.

The two animals share a number of similarities, including their size, build, and habitat. However, there are also some key differences between the two. For example, unlike kangaroos, Black-flanked Rock-wallabies are not proficient swimmers.

2. Brush-tailed Rock-wallaby

The brush-tailed rock-wallaby is a small marsupial that is found in Australia. As its name suggests, this animal has a tail that is brush-like in appearance. It also has powerful hind legs and large feet, which it uses for hopping around the rocky terrain where it lives.

The similarity between the brush-tailed rock-wallaby and the kangaroo is most likely due to convergent evolution. This is a process where two unrelated species evolve similar traits in order to adapt to similar environments. In the case of the brush-tailed rock-wallaby and the kangaroo, both animals live in arid, rocky habitats and have evolved similar adaptations for surviving in these harsh conditions.

3. Common Wombat

The next animal on our list is the common wombat. These creatures are found in Australia and Tasmania and look very similar to kangaroos, albeit a bit shorter and stockier. Common wombats have two main distinguishing features: their stubby tails and their backwards-facing pouch.

Like kangaroos, wombats are marsupials, which means that they carry their young in a pouch. However, the opening of the pouch is located towards the wombat’s back end, as opposed to the front like in kangaroos. This is thought to be an evolutionary adaptation that allows wombats to better protect their young from predators.

Related Article: Do Common Wombat Burrow Underground?

4. Eastern Barred Bandicoot

The eastern barred bandicoot (Perameles gunnii) is a small marsupial that is found in southeastern Australia. Although it is not closely related to the kangaroo, it shares many similarities with its more famous relative. For one, the two animals have a similar body shape, with both having long hind legs and a compact body. Additionally, both animals are proficient jumpers, using their powerful hind legs to propel themselves through the air.

One of the main differences between the two animals is that the eastern barred bandicoot is nocturnal, meaning it is active at night. This is likely due to the fact that its predators, such as foxes and cats, are also active during the day. Additionally, the eastern barred bandicoot is much smaller than the kangaroo, with an adult only reaching about 15 inches in length.

5. Fat-tailed Dunnart

This little marsupial looks like a miniature kangaroo, and even has a similar coloring. The Fat-tailed Dunnart is found in Australia and New Guinea, and is known to be a very skilled jumper.

While the Fat-tailed Dunnart may look like a kangaroo, it is actually quite different. For one, the Fat-tailed Dunnart is much smaller, only reaching about 15 centimeters in length. Additionally, this creature does not have a tail that is as long or as muscular as a kangaroo’s.

6. Kangaroo Island Dunnart

As you can see in the picture, this little marsupial looks a lot like a miniature kangaroo. It’s found only on Kangaroo Island off the coast of Australia and its small size (about the size of a rat) makes it one of the world’s smallest marsupials.

Despite its name, the Kangaroo Island Dunnart is not closely related to kangaroos. It’s actually more closely related to other Australian marsupials like wallabies and quokkas.

7. Koala

The Koala is an arboreal marsupial that is endemic to Australia. Like the kangaroo, it has a large head and ears, small eyes, and a furry body. However, the Koala’s tail is much shorter than that of the kangaroo, and its feet are more claw-like, adapted for clinging to tree branches.

Related Article: Are Koalas Loner?

8. Long-nosed Bandicoot

The long-nosed bandicoot is a small marsupial found in Australia. It’s about the size of a rabbit and is covered in short, brown fur. The most distinctive feature of this animal is its long, pointy nose.

While they don’t look exactly like kangaroos, long-nosed bandicoots share a few key features with their more well-known cousins. Like kangaroos, they have long hind legs and a tail. They also hop around on two feet, although not as high or as far as kangaroos do.

Related Article: Do Bandicoot Have Pouches?

9. Northern Hairy-nosed Wombat

The Northern hairy-nosed wombat is a marsupial that is found in Australia. It is one of the largest species of wombat, reaching up to 3 feet in length and weighing up to 70 pounds.

What sets the Northern hairy-nosed wombat apart from other wombats is its nose. As its name suggests, this animal has a hairy nose that is used to help it sniff out food.

Another interesting feature of the Northern hairy-nosed wombat is its claws. These are long and sharp, and are used for digging burrows and finding food.

10. Parma Wallaby

The Parma wallaby is a small marsupial that is found in Australia. It is closely related to the kangaroo and, as such, shares many of its physical characteristics. The most notable similarity between the two animals is their long hind legs and tail. Both creatures use these features to help them move around quickly and efficiently.

Read Also: Do Wallaby Eat Plants?

11. Red-legged Pademelon

The red-legged pademelon is a small marsupial that is found in the tropical forests of Australia and New Guinea. Like the kangaroo, it has powerful hind legs that it uses for hopping around. It also has a tail, although its tail is much shorter than that of a kangaroo.

The red-legged pademelon is a reddish-brown colour, with darker brown patches on its back and rump. Its underparts are paler, and it has a white stripe running down the middle of its face.

12. Red-necked Wallaby

The red-necked wallaby is a marsupial that is found in Australia and New Guinea. Like the kangaroo, it has a muscular build and powerful hind legs that are well-suited for jumping. It also has a tail that it uses for balance when moving around.

The biggest difference between the red-necked wallaby and the kangaroo is its size. The red-necked wallaby is much smaller than most kangaroo species, only reaching a maximum weight of around 20 pounds (9 kilograms).

13. Sandhill Dunnart

The sandhill dunnart is a small, marsupial mammal that is found in Australia. This creature looks very similar to a kangaroo, with its long legs and narrow body. The main difference between the two animals is the size; the dunnart is much smaller than the kangaroo, measuring only about 15 cm (6 inches) long.

The sandhill dunnart is a nocturnal animal, meaning that it is active at night. This creature is an expert hunter, preying on small insects and other invertebrates.

14. Spotted-tailed Quoll

The spotted-tailed quoll is a carnivorous marsupial that is found in Australia. It shares many physical similarities with the kangaroo, including its tail and its hind legs. The main difference between the two animals is their size; the spotted-tailed quoll is much smaller than most kangaroos.

15. Stripe-faced Dunnart

The Stripe-faced Dunnart is a small marsupial that is found in the deserts of Australia. This little creature has a body that is very similar in shape to a kangaroo, with long legs and a tail. The main difference between the two animals is that the Stripe-faced Dunnart has a much smaller head and a striped face.

16. Tammar Wallaby

This small marsupial is found in Australia and New Guinea and looks very similar to a kangaroo, right down to its furry ears and compact body. The biggest difference between the two animals is their size, with the tammar wallaby being much smaller than its larger cousin.

The tammar wallaby is a good example of what’s known as convergent evolution. This is the process by which two unrelated species develop similar characteristics as a result of living in similar environments.

In the case of the tammar wallaby and the kangaroo, both animals live in open, arid environments where there is little cover from predators. As a result, they have both evolved to have long, powerful hind legs that allow them to escape quickly if they are threatened.

17. Tasmanian Devil

The Tasmanian devil is a small marsupial that is found only on the island of Tasmania in Australia. Although it shares many physical similarities with kangaroos, such as its stocky build and furry coat, it is actually more closely related to wombats.

However, the most striking similarity between the Tasmanian devil and kangaroos is their face. Both animals have a large, round head with small eyes and ears. They also have a similar black stripe across their nose.

18. Thylacine

The thylacine, also known as the Tasmanian tiger, was a marsupial that was native to Australia and New Zealand. The last known individual of this species died in 1936, but reports of sightings have persisted to this day.

One of the most striking things about the thylacine was its physical similarity to the kangaroo. It had a long tail, powerful hind legs, and small front legs. This led many to believe that the two species were closely related.

However, DNA analysis has shown that the thylacine is more closely related to other marsupials, such as the wombat and the Tasmanian devil.

19. Toolache Wallaby

The toolache wallaby is a small marsupial that can be found in southeastern Australia. Like the kangaroo, it has a muscular tail and powerful hind legs that are used for hopping. It also has a similar face, with large ears and a pointed snout.

The two animals also share a diet of mostly grasses and other vegetation. However, the toolache wallaby is much smaller than the kangaroo, with an adult only reaching about two feet in height.

20. Yellow-footed Wallaby

The yellow-footed wallaby is a marsupial that is found in eastern Australia. Like the kangaroo, it has powerful hind legs and a tail that it uses for balance. It also has a similar fur pattern and coloring. The main difference between the two animals is their size; the yellow-footed wallaby is much smaller than the kangaroo.

Conclusion

There are a number of animals in Australia that look like kangaroos. These include the Fat-tailed Dunnart, Eastern Barred Bandicoot, Common Wombat, Brush-tailed Rock-wallaby. While there are some key differences between these animals, they all share certain similarities with kangaroos, including their appearance and behavior.

Garreth

Hi, I’m Garreth. Living in South Africa I’ve had the pleasure of seeing most of these animals up close and personal. When I was younger I always wanted to be a game ranger but unfortunately, life happens and now at least I get to write about them and tell you my experiences.