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How do kangaroos and wallabies fill ecological roles similar to deer and antelope?

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Red kangaroo (Macropus rufus) — marsupial Red kangaroo (*Macropus rufus*). The home range of this species spans much of Australia's interior, and it is the largest member of the family Macropodidae.

Kangaroos and wallabies fill ecological roles similar to deer and antelope through a process known as convergent evolution, where unrelated organisms adapt in similar ways to comparable habitats.1

While they differ structurally from placental mammals, these marsupials occupy the same ecological niche as deer and antelope by serving as large herbivores in open environments. Larger species, such as red and gray kangaroos, are grazers that feed primarily on grass, much like ruminants. To process this tough, plant-based diet, they possess a chambered stomach that functions similarly to the rumen of cattle, allowing them to ferment and digest cellulose.12

Smaller species, such as wallabies, often exhibit more selective feeding habits, focusing on browsing vegetation. By moving across plains and grasslands to forage, these marsupials fulfill the functional role of large grazing and browsing herbivores within the Australian ecosystem.21