Thread by @MarcKissel

Next up! #1 seed Red Kangaroo (Osphranter rufus) vs #5 seed Red Brocket (Mazama americana) #2021MMM

It has been a wild road for our contenders from the Red, in Fur Division. Kangaroo slobbered over the vole & intimated the Tree Rat, while rockin' red brocket outlasted Siberian Weasel and Maroon Langur. No one has been upset by these outcomes... #2021MMM

Red Kangaroos are designated as “Least Concern.” A 2011 survey by the Australian government found over 11 million Red Kangaroos within the surveyed areas! environment.gov.au/biodiversity/w… #2021MMM

Kangaroos are so numerous that there are sometimes seen as pests. While protected, permits allow the " commercial harvest of kangaroos" for meat & leather environment.gov.au/resource/comme… #2021MMM

Not much is know about conservation status of Red brocket. They are an important food & income source for Peruvian hunters. This hunting is sustainable, but deforestation has created habitat loss for this deer sciencedirect.com/science/articl… #RockinBrocket #2021MMM

Tools made from red brocket bones were imported to islands in the West Indies ~2,500 years ago. In the South American lowlands "households often tame and keep brocket deer as pets" (Giovas 2017) researchgate.net/publication/32… #2021MMM

We are in the Australian Botanic Garden Mount Annan, Southwest of Sydney, home to 4000+ native & introduced plant species. Current flowering plants include many yellow and gold flowers and the 'Griffith Pink' flower. Also home to wallaroos & kangaroos! #2021MMM

Red Kangaroo is hoping along, grazing on some lovely green grass in an open pasture. He and his 'mob' of other kangaroos choose this spot due to lack of shrubs, which are a tripping hazard (Freeman et al 2020) #2021MMM

While good for kangaroos, Red brocket prefers spaces with more vegetation cover as it allows for spaces to rest & provides protection against predators (Pérez-Solano et al 2016) #2021MMM

The 90 kg, 1.8 meter tall kangaroo spots the 30 kg, 80 cm tall brocket & hops over to investigate. Hopping evolved in a smaller kangaroo ancestor, perhaps as for predator avoidance, but it is also a very efficient way to travel (McGowan and Collins 2018) #2021MMM

Red Brocket is a-boppin' and a-singin' his song when Kangaroo approaches...he freezes in place hoping not to be seen by the terrifying new creature! #RockinBrocket #2021MMM

Red Kangaroo continues his approach. He stomps on the ground to warn the others of this stranger.... #2021MMM

"Well the pretty little brocket in the Australian grassland,
Knew that today wasn't the day to make a stand,
He started goin' leaping out of the blue,
And He out-leaped the mean ole kangaroo" #RockinBrocket #2021MMM

RED KANGAROO CHASES OFF RED BROCKET!!! #2021MMM