Roos

I guess a blog about Australia should have already talked about kangaroos. Yet, some pleasures are better tasted when left last. Kangaroos are what most Americans see when they think about Australia. And Roos were among the top animals we wanted to see when we first visited Oz. Grey and red kangaroos, and all kinds of wallabies. So we saw them very often, in zoos, parks, and in the wild. The most unusual and striking image is that of a wide, grassy landscape from which suddenly start to hop these large but fit animals, grey with big black eyes and ears perked up. Sometimes, they stare at you while standing up, and if they are alarmed or feel threatened, they turn around and hop away. Fast. One time on Raymond Island, we got off the car and tried to follow an echidna in the bush. I suddenly raised my eyes from the ground and just ten meters away was a mob of roos, with a large mom in front. She stood up, transfixed, staring at me as surprised as I was. From her pouch another pair of long and curly eyelashes was trying to figure me out, her joey... I will never forget how fragile, yet powerful they seemed, standing there and trying to understand my next step. I backed up, went into the car and was happy to not have disturbed them too much.