Are Kangaroos Smart? Everything We Know About Their Intelligence

A few things are apparent just by looking at a kangaroo. They have long legs, muscular bodies, and a stance rivaling a boxer’s when they stand up. But are kangaroos smart?

Keep reading to dive into the specifics of kangaroo intelligence.

The Kangaroo Brain

Kangaroos are marsupials. They’re mammals who give birth to live young, but the process looks very different than it does for “placental mammals.” Baby marsupials like kangaroos are born at just a few weeks or even days old and immediately crawl into their mother’s pouches.

Science has shown that marsupials and placental mammals have very different brain structures. In fact, at one time, it was believed that marsupials must be intelligent because these differences include less brain volume.

However, new observations have “led to the conclusion that marsupial mammals represent an alternative rather than an inferior mammalian design.”

Kangaroo intelligence can’t be dismissed because they’re marsupials.

The Social Intelligence Hypothesis

A possible way to determine how smart kangaroos are is to look at their social structure.

Within biology, many researchers believe that advanced cognition is more likely to develop in social animals. Socialization, they argue, introduces complex challenges such as collaboration and sustained friendships.

The theory is called the social intelligence hypothesis. Solitary animals aren’t “dumb,” but their brains may not be as well adapted for certain hurdles.

Kangaroos have a highly social lifestyle, spending most of their time in troops of multiple individuals. They operate in a “fission-fusion” pattern, which means that troops frequently dissolve and reform with new members.

Some friendships last, however. Studies show that kangaroos can form long-term relationships that endure for years. Friends share affection by sniffing, touching noses, and making joyful noises.

Because they live in groups, kangaroos also have to navigate aggression and dominance hierarchies. Males fight for mates and prime access to water sources. Their intelligence helps them both fight and re-establish friendly relations after the bout.

Research on Kangaroo Intelligence

Animal researchers can infer kangaroo intelligence from the social intelligence hypothesis. There’s also more direct evidence. A 2020 study found that kangaroos can intentionally communicate with humans when they need help.

Anyone with a pet dog or cat knows what it’s like to have a furry head nudging your leg for food. The behavior is more surprising in kangaroos, which are undomesticated animals.

The study put kangaroos into a room with a locked box of food and a researcher. When the kangaroos realized they couldn’t open the box, they appealed to the human for help. Some used their expressive eyes and looked from the person to the box; others physically pawed the person’s leg or arm. The kangaroos were smart enough to realize that help was an option.

“They aren’t considered as cuddly or cute as koalas, so sometimes kangaroos get a bad rap … Hopefully, understanding that they’ve got these complex, cognitive skills will represent them in more positive light as well,” said Dr Alexandra Green, one of the study’s authors.

Kangaroo Communication

Kangaroos can communicate with humans, but they’re obviously much better at communicating with each other. They rely on complicated movements and verbalizations, another sign of their intelligence.

When a kangaroo spots they’ll danger, they’ll stomp their legs on the ground and make loud barking noises to warn their buddies. If you’ve never seen the behavior, it can look like they’re angry rather than scared.

If the kangaroo is worried about a closer threat, they’ll growl. Stay far away from any kangaroo making this sound!

Male kangaroos have varied subtle fight sounds. A growl is a warning, but a raspy cough indicates submissiveness.

Kangaroo Self-Defense

Kangaroo intelligence also shines when they’re escaping predators. Instead of merely hiding or running away, they use their smarts to lure their attackers into deep water. Once there, the kangaroo deliberately drowns the predator.

It’s not a pretty sight. But it does show that kangaroos can enact multi-step plans. When they’re running away, they’re smart enough to know that the goal is to eventually hide in a water source and launch a reverse attack.

Are Kangaroos Smart?

Kangaroos probably won’t make anyone’s list of most intelligent animals.

But they’re far from being stupid. Kangaroos are incredibly social and capable of juggling and maintaining multiple relationships simultaneously. They use their wits to defeat predators and can even communicate with humans.

Kangaroo and other marsupial brains look different than most mammals’, yet scientists now recognize this difference as an alternative feature rather than an inferior one.

The photo featured at the top of this post is © kimonofish/Shutterstock.com