Are Kangaroos Related to Rabbits? (Let's Find Out)

In the animal kingdom, so many animals look alike in some way. This is also true for kangaroos and rabbits, and this leads to people asking if they are related.

In this article, we will find out if kangaroos are related to rabbits. We will also learn about some of their differences and similarities.

Table of Contents

Are Kangaroos Related to Rabbits?

No, kangaroos are not related to rabbits. Kangaroos are marsupials from the family Macropodidae, while rabbits are small mammals in the family Leporidae.

These two animals do not belong together in the same group, although they have some similar features. Rabbits are related to hares.

The key point that differentiates these two animals is the fact that kangaroos, as marsupial mammals, give birth to their young while they are not yet fully developed, and then they are cared for in the mother’s pouch.

Rabbits, on the other hand, give birth to their young, fully developed since they are nourished in the mother’s body before birth. This makes rabbits placental mammals.

Kangaroo Information

Domain: Eukaryota

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Mammalia

Infraclass: Marsupialia

Order: Diprotodontia

Suborder: Macropodiformes

Family: Macropodidae

Kangaroos are marsupials that are known for their powerful hind legs, large feet, and long tails. There are different species of kangaroos, like the red kangaroo, the antilopine kangaroo, the eastern grey kangaroo, and the western grey kangaroo.

These hopping animals are native to Australia and New Guinea, meaning they live in their natural habitat in those regions.

Rabbit Information

Domain: Eukaryota

Kingdom: Animalia

Phylum: Chordata

Class: Mammalia

Order: Lagomorpha

Family: Leporidae

Rabbits are small mammals that are found throughout the world as pets or prey animals. There are over 13 wild rabbit species, and they all exhibit similar behaviours.

As placental mammals, rabbits give birth to fully developed young.

Differences Between Kangaroos and Rabbits

There are several obvious differences between kangaroos and rabbits. The most obvious one, like kangaroos, have a pouch, while rabbits don’t.

It would be really weird for rabbits to have pouches since they are placental mammals. But that’s not just it; rabbits give birth to large litters of four to twelve kits at a time, so having a pouch will not accommodate that many.

In contrast, kangaroos give birth to only one young at a time, and the pouch is sufficient for the baby’s development. Here is a detailed breakdown of their differences:

Kangaroos move around with only their hind legs, while rabbits use all four of their feet and sometimes their hind legs.
The height difference. Kangaroos are way larger than rabbits, and this is obvious. Kangaroos can measure up to 2 m and weigh up to 90 kg, while rabbits average 0.5 m and have a maximum weight of 2 kg.
Kangaroos give birth to one joey at a time. They can become sexually receptive immediately after giving birth and get pregnant with a second joey while the first one is still developing. The second joey will begin maturing once the first has fully developed. Rabbits, on the other hand, can give birth to multiple litters at a time. They have a gestation period of 30 days and can also get pregnant after their last birth.
Another difference is habitat. While kangaroos are only seen in Australia and New Guinea, rabbits are scattered throughout the world.
Rabbits are nocturnal and often sleep with their eyes open. Kangaroos, on the other hand, are most active at night, dusk, and dawn. They sleep on their side or back and occasionally sleep standing up. Eastern grey kangaroos are mostly diurnally active species.
Rabbits are coprophagous. This means they feed on their faeces. Kangaroos are not coprophagous.
Kangaroos can see in full colour, a rare ability among non-primate mammals. In contrast, rabbits cannot see full colours. They have limited colour vision, likely enabled by two types of cone cells that detect blue and green.
Kangaroos can stand upright with the help of their strong tail, which is used as the third leg. Rabbits do not need support from their tails to stand on their hind legs.

Similarities Between Kangaroos and Rabbits

Kangaroos and rabbits have fewer similarities than there are differences. Most of their similar traits are in their physical appearance. Here are a few similarities:

Both kangaroos and rabbits are known for their hopping abilities. This is one of the main reasons why people think they are related. However, their hopping similarity is a result of convergent evolution. This is where different species develop similar traits independently due to similar environmental pressures.
Both kangaroos and rabbits have strong hind legs that they use for hopping, but the way they hop is quite different. Rabbits typically land on their front legs first, then use their hind legs to push off for the next hop. In contrast, kangaroos rely solely on their powerful hind feet and strong tails to hop.
Other similar physical appearances include long ears and a generally similar body shape.

Genetic Differences and Family Trees

When scientists look at the DNA of kangaroos and rabbits, they observe that there are significant differences. These genetic differences confirm that kangaroos and rabbits are not closely related.

Kangaroos are more closely related to other marsupials like koalas and wombats, while rabbits are more closely related to rodents like mice and rats.

The relationship between kangaroos and rabbits can better be understood from their family trees. Kangaroos belong to the order Diprotodontia, which includes other marsupials. Rabbits belong to the order Lagomorpha, which includes hares and pikas.

These two orders are different and have no closely related ancestors.

Fun Facts About Kangaroos and Rabbits

Kangaroo Facts

Kangaroos can hop at speeds of up to 60 km/h (37 mph).
A group of kangaroos is called a mob, similar to a group of meerkats.
Kangaroos use their tails for balance while hopping.

Rabbit Facts

Rabbits can turn their ears 180 degrees to listen for predators.
A group of rabbits is called a fluffle or colony.
Rabbits have a nearly 360-degree field of vision.

Conclusion

Now you know that kangaroos are not related to rabbits and why this is so. In this article, we have provided a clear answer to this question and presented some differences and similarities between the two animals.

So, if you’re ever asked whether kangaroos are related to rabbits, the answer is no—they are not related.

FAQs

What animal is a kangaroo related to?

A kangaroo is related to other marsupials like koalas, wallabies, wombats, and Tasmanian devils. These animals have the same way of caring for their young.

What is the closest relative to a rabbit?

The closest relatives to rabbits are rodents because they share a similar evolutionary group. However, rabbits belong to a distinct group of mammals called lagomorphs, which are different from rodents. One key difference is that lagomorphs have four incisors in the upper jaw, while rodents have only two.

What animal did kangaroos evolve from?

According to research, the ancestors of kangaroos were opossum-like creatures that lived on trees. These ancestors eventually moved out of trees and picked up a more efficient way of moving.

Louis Ojibe

Hi, I’m Louis Ojibe, and I grew up around wildlife in Africa. I have always been fascinated by animals and nature across the world.
As a child, my parents used to take me to see wild animals like lions, elephants, gorillas, tortoises, and many others at our local zoo.