Roger, a kangaroo that captured the attention of millions of people due to his muscular frame, has died at the age of 12, according to local news outlets.
The marsupial stood more than 6 feet 5 inches and weighed 196 pounds, making him among the largest kangaroos in the world. Roger made headlines in 2015, after photos showed him crushing a metal bucket with its paws.
“It’s a very sad day here today. We have lost our beautiful boy, Roger,” Chris Barnes, the sanctuary manager, said.
“Ten years ago, I built this sanctuary to house Roger and a couple of his wives ... I built it so they'd have a place to live. Roger was our alpha male for many years, and he grew up to be a kangaroo that people from all over the world have grown to love as much as we love him,” he added.
Barnes continued: “So we will reflect on his life today and for the years to come. He will always be here, and we’ve laid him to rest out here so he can be with his family.”
In 2016, Barnes revealed the animal was sick and had arthritis. “I would never have been able to pat Roger like I am now, but he is getting old,” he said at the time.
He said the animal could be dangerous to humans.
Barnes also said Roger looks at him as a potential competitor.
People React to Animal’s Death
On the page, people responded to news of the kangaroo’s death.“'Thank you, Brolga, for rescuing Roger those many years ago and providing a wonderful life for him and amazing experiences for so many people who visited Roger over the years,” added another.
Another wrote: “Thank you for loving him so much. A life lived fully and proudly, Roger was so lucky to have found you and you him. He will always be magnificent.”
“[Roger] lived a rich and full life and brought joy to people all around the world thanks to you Brolga,” another tribute said.
“Rest in Peace Roger! Thanks for brightening our days with your wonderful personality!” said another.
“I hope wherever you are, there’s endless buckets for you to crush,” added another person.
Why So Big?
“His daily exercise regime is sparring [kickboxing] his rivals and chasing his human ‘Mum’, me,” Barnes told the Daily Mail several years ago. “He also loves crushing metal buckets. Don’t mess with a ‘Big Red,’ they’ll disembowel you, or worse.”Other details about the animal’s death aren’t clear.
Natalie Warburton from the Murdoch University of Veterinary and Life Sciences told the publication that a kangaroo’s arm size is a factor in attracting females
“Forelimb measurements showed that whereas female musculature growth was proportional to body size, male musculature was overwhelmingly exaggerated,” she said.
As they get stronger, they get into more sparring matches with other male kangaroos to make them stand out to females, she added.
“Unfortunately, the bulkier the kangaroo, the shorter the lifespan. The team from Murdoch University believe this has to do with the higher body mass that the kangaroo has to maintain. So if a drought or a bout of famine strikes, it will hit the males harder than the females,” the publication states.
“Its tail adds another 35.5 to 43.5 inches [3.625 feet] to its length and its entire body weighs around 200 lbs.,” it says.
“The smallest kangaroo is the musky rat-kangaroo. It is only 6 to 8 inches (15.24 to 20.32 cm) long and weighs only 12 ounces (340 grams). Its ratlike tail adds another 5 to 6 inches (12.7 to 15.24 cm) to its length,” the website says.