Kangaroos are iconic Australian marsupials recognized around the world for their unique hopping movement and cute joeys. But do these bounding Aussies actually hug each other? If you’re short on time, here’s a quick answer: while kangaroos don’t hug like humans do, they do exhibit bonding behaviors like leaning on each other, touching noses, and grooming.
In this nearly 3,000 word guide, we’ll take an in-depth look at kangaroo behavior to answer whether these charismatic creatures actually hug. We’ll explore how kangaroos interact, including their bonding rituals and communication methods.
You’ll also learn some surprising facts about how kangaroos care for their young and their complex social dynamics.
An Overview of Kangaroo Social Behavior
Group Dynamics of Kangaroo Mobs
Kangaroos are highly social animals that live in groups called “mobs.” A mob may consist of 10-30 kangaroos made up of females (called does), their joeys, and a dominant male (called a boomer). The boomer is the leader of the mob and oversees its safety and wellbeing.
Does are arranged in a hierarchy with the oldest and largest does at the top. If the boomer dies or leaves, the mob will typically appoint a new male leader. Mobs have complex social structures and group dynamics. They often eat, sleep, and travel together in close-knit groups.
Kangaroos communicate with each other through sounds, scents, and body language. Some of their communication methods include:
Communication Methods
- Grunting: Low, guttural sounds that signal warnings or serve as greetings between kangaroos.
- Clucking: A gentle clucking sound that shows contentment, made by mother kangaroos to their joeys.
- Thumping their tails: Acts as an alarm or warning sign to other kangaroos.
- Scent marking: Kangaroos have scent glands and will rub their face and chest on objects to leave their smell behind.
- Postures: Ear, tail, and body positions convey different moods from aggression to relaxation.
Roles and Rituals
Within a mob, kangaroos take on distinct roles. The dominant male oversees the group, keeps order, and protects the mob from predators. Females care for the young joeys who will stay in their mother’s pouch for 9-10 months before venturing out.
There is a complex courtship ritual between males competing for female mates. Males will fight each other by kicking, punching, and grappling until one backs down. Ritualized mating behaviors also take place between males and females before copulation.
Kangaroo Courtship and Mating
Finding a Mate
As highly social animals, kangaroos live in mobs comprised of a dominant male, several females, and their joeys (young). The dominant male, called a boomer, is responsible for protecting and mating with the females of the mob.
Wild kangaroos have scent glands on their chests to communicate reproductive status within a mob. Boomers often check the scent of females to determine their readiness to mate.
According to a 2011 study, female kangaroos initiate courtship by approaching the boomer and sniffing his chest. If she is ready to mate, the female will then stand in front of the male and observe over her shoulder to solicit copulation.
Scientists believe pheromone signals in the female’s urine and possibly posture play a key role in indicating reproductive status and willingness to boomers.
Mating Rituals
Once willing females have been identified, the boomer of the mob will initiate mating by approaching from behind and sniffing her urine or cloaca. He may paw at her flanks and make ticking sounds to stimulate the female before mating occurs.
If receptive, the female will lift her tail and inflate her cloaca to facilitate penetration. Actual coitus is very quick, often lasting less than 60 seconds.
An interesting aspect of kangaroo reproduction is embryonic diapause – after mating, female kangaroos can delay implantation of the fertilized egg into the uterus until external conditions become favorable for joey development and birth.
This ensures young are born only when abundant resources are available to support lactation and growth. The paired ovaries of kangaroos allow them to nurture one joey in the pouch while rearing another at foot all while maintaining a paused embryo from a previous mating.
Bonds Between Mates
The boomer of a mob enforces his dominance to secure mating rights. He sniffs and licks the females and cuffs younger challengers with his forepaws to fend off competition. Thus kangaroo courtship reflects male reproductive strategies to monopolize access to females rather than long-term bonding.
However some signs of affection do occur between mates. According to Susan McMaster, a Canadian kangaroo caretaker interviewed in a 2015 Slate article, a tame male kangaroo named Mikey mated with the same female, Mila for many years.
He would groom and lick her head affectionately before and after mating. Scientists suspect mild bonding occurs due to the female’s estrous cycle that enables consistent reproduction with the same boomer.
From Joey to Juvenile: Kangaroo Parenting
Pregnancy and Birth
After a short gestation period of 30-38 days, a baby kangaroo called a joey is born. The joey is tiny, blind, furless and only the size of a jellybean when born. The mother cleans off the birthing fluids and guides the joey into the pouch, where it will continue developing attached to one of four teats for the next 4-5 months.
The teats deliver both milk and water to the developing infant. Amazingly, if the mother kangaroo loses an embryo in her pouch, the teat that was providing it nutrients will dry up while the others continue supplying the surviving joeys.
Raising Joeys
Between 180-320 days after birth, the joey will begin poking its head out of the pouch to start exploring life outside. However, it returns frequently to the safety and nourishment provided inside the pouch.
An iconic image of kangaroos is a mother hopping through the wilderness with the head of a joey peering cautiously out of her pouch. This is a transitional phase as the joey gains independence.
Weaning and Beyond
At around 235 days, the joey will fully emerge from the pouch and begin grazing on vegetation. It will still suckle milk until being fully weaned at around 12 months of age.
From here, the Macropus juvenile will continue growing and refining its hopping skills by practicing take-offs, improving balance and taking short hops near the mother. Male kangaroos tend to wonder off and live alone when they reach sexual maturity at around 2-5 years old.
Do Kangaroos Cuddle and Bond?
Grooming and Social Touch
Kangaroos engage in social grooming behaviors to bond with others in their mob. They will gently nibble and lick each other’s fur to clean and tidy it up. This grooming helps strengthen social connections and reinforces bonds between mob members.
Mother kangaroos also groom their joeys frequently as a form of maternal care and affection.
Leaning on Each Other
Kangaroos have been observed leaning against or gently nudging one another while resting. This type of body contact seems to provide comfort and connection. Young joeys will often nap while leaning against their mother’s body.
Pairs of adult kangaroos have also been spotted resting side-by-side and touching. This suggests kangaroos find the physical presence of mob members to be soothing.
Licking and Nuzzling
Licking and nuzzling behaviors are common between paired-up male and female kangaroos. Mates will lovingly lick each other’s faces and neck areas as a sign of affection. Mother kangaroos also lick and nuzzle the heads and bodies of their joeys frequently.
This touch helps strengthen the mother-joey bond.
Conclusion
While kangaroos may not share hugs the way humans embrace, they do exhibit a variety of bonding behaviors within their social groups. From leaning on each other for support to grooming within families, kangaroos use touch to communicate trust and affection.
So while they probably won’t wrap their arms around you in a warm hug, kangaroos do share close social connections worthy of admiration and further understanding.
