Red Kangaroo population at Tama Zoo has grown to 30 individuals, as three baby kangaroos emerged from their mother's pouch last month.

With so many animals living together, it's not uncommon for some to get sick or injured. We observe them daily to make sure they're eating properly and that there's nothing unusual about them. If we find anything wrong, we need to record which animal is affected and what condition it is in, and then inform the veterinarian.

Individual identification becomes crucial in this process. If we cannot identify each individual, it becomes impossible to know which individual we are talking about.

When identifying individual animals, we sometimes rely on their visual characteristics, but sometimes their features are so similar that it can be difficult to distinguish them. To make identification easier, we attach plastic tags called ear tags to their ears.

If you've observed Red Kangaroo, you might have noticed that they have two tags attached to their ears. At Tama Zoo Red Kangaroo are identified not only by their physical characteristics, but also by having each one given a name, a microchip, and an ear tag.

Ear tags are attached to the kangaroos once the pups have emerged from the pouch and grown to a certain size. Males wear them on their left ear, and females on their right ear. Two colors are chosen from a selection of colors to allow for easy identification of each individual. These ear tags serve as a kind of name tag for Red Kangaroo.


Left: Wah (male), Right: Fuzz (female)
Upon closer observation, some individuals may lack ear tags. While there are various reasons for this, such individuals are rare, and their absence is actually a distinguishing feature. Even without ear tags, careful observation and comparison, as shown in the photos below, can reveal the difference.


Left: Ange (male), Center: Sayaka (female), Right: Sorel (female)
So, what do you think? Were you able to spot any differences? If you look closely like this, you can probably see various features such as the color and pattern of the face, the shape of the ears, the position and size of the eyes, and the facial expression.

Once you can distinguish each individual animal, you'll discover new things about their movements, habits, and relationships, making observation even more enjoyable.

Red Kangaroo enclosure at Tama Zoo is a walk-through exhibit that brings visitors closer to Red Kangaroo, making observation easier. They spend most of the day sleeping and are often called "dads on their day off," but be sure to take your time to observe them closely and discover the differences between them.

[Tama Zoo]

◎Related News
・ The hardships and growth of Red Kangaroo "Chao" (April 22, 2016)
・ Red Kangaroo are experiencing a "mating rush"! (June 21, 2019)
・ Red Kangaroo (January 13, 2023)

(March 22, 2024)