The red kangaroo is a species of kangaroo also known by the scientific name Macropus rufus. It is native to Australia, and can be found throughout the majority of mainland Australia. Its range excludes the rainforests in the north, the east coast, and the fertile regions in the south. The typical red kangaroo habitat is a mostly open space with some trees to offer shade, including grasslands, scrublands, and deserts.

The red kangaroo is not only the largest species of kangaroo, but the largest of all living marsupials and the largest land-dwelling mammal native to Australia. An average adult male red kangaroo measures between 4.3 and 5.2 feet in length, including both its head and its body. It also has a tail measuring between 3.3 and 3.9 feet. Its female counterpart is smaller, with with its head and body measuring an average of 2.8 to 3.4 feet in length, excluding a 2.2 to 2.8 feet long tail. Males generally weigh between 120 and 190 pounds, while females can weigh between 40 and 90 pounds.

An herbivore, the red kangaroo subsists mostly on green vegetation, especially fresh grass. It has favorite grasses, but is willing to eat other species when fresh food is scarce. It is less flexible with the grasses it avoids; the red kangaroo will avoid some species of grass even when they are available in abundance.

The red kangaroo has a distinct appearance, with a large, long, and sturdy tail; large hind legs bent at a right angle; a large, long body; and small, thin forearms. It has large eyes and a long snout, causing its head to resemble that of a deer. The male red kangaroo has soft, red-brown fur, while females' fur is more gray in color.

As social creatures, red kangaroos typically live in small groups called mobs that consist of two to four individuals. In areas with large kangaroo populations or with scant food, larger mobs often form. Mobs are fluid and flexible in membership, particularly because the red kangaroo is not territorial.

Though male red kangaroos are not territorial, they occasionally fight amongst themselves for social dominance, a status that mostly affects mating. This fighting, which is most common among young males, is called boxing. While boxing, red kangaroos typically stand on their hind legs and try to knock their opponents off balance using their forearms, and may wrestle or even support themselves on their tails in order to kick their opponents repeatedly.

One of the most impressive aspects of the red kangaroo is its locomotion. A red kangaroo must travel by hopping, as its legs cannot move independently of each other. It can hop comfortably at a speed of about 15 miles per hour, but can reach maximum speeds of over 35 miles per hour. A particularly remarkable red kangaroo fact is that it can jump 25 feet in a single hop and leap six feet vertically into the air.