The largest marsupial species ever existed on Earth

The giant short-faced Kangaroo can reach 2.7m high and weighs 240kg when mature, twice as large as the largest living kangaroo.

Reconstructed images of Procoptodon goliath.(Photo: Animal of the world).

The giant short-faced Kangaroo, Procoptodon goliath , once roamed the semi-wild area of ​​southern Australia around 50,000-18,000 years ago before becoming extinct by humans and climate change. At twice the size and three times the weight of the red kangaroo (the largest kangaroo today), they are recognized as the largest marsupial mammal ever to exist on Earth.

The largest fossils ever unearthed by Procoptodon goliath have a height when standing up to 2.7m. Adults can reach 240kg. Due to the heavy body, the giant short-faced kangaroo cannot jump as high and far as a red kangaroo, making them vulnerable to ancient human hunting.

Procoptodon goliath mainly feeds on grass, leaves and shrubs. Because they live in arid environments, they depend heavily on the standing water resources in the area. Therefore, when severe drought occurred due to climate change in the Canh Tan posture, their food and water resources gradually became exhausted, leading to the extinction of the species population.

Fossils of Procoptodon goliath today are most commonly found in the Naracoorte area of ​​South Australia, Menindee Lake in New South Wales and Darling Downs in Queensland.

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