Stumbling upon a kangaroo wandering around Texas is not entirely out of the question.  Texas is one of thirteen states that allow people to own kangaroos as exotic pets.

Kangaroos are popular here in Texas. The hot, dry summers are similar to what kangaroos experience in their native Australia. This is particularly true of red kangaroos, the largest kangaroos. They thrive in desert-like conditions like in West Texas.

There are many kangaroo pets kept in Texas. There is even a kangaroo and wallabies ranch in Howe, just north of Dallas.  Roos2U is a fantastic place to interact with animals you don't see daily. Encountering kangaroos on a ranch or sanctuary like this is fun.

Finding one running wild in your backyard might be a whole different thing.

There are so many stories of animals initially brought to a location as exotic pets and ending up escaping causing catastrophic results for native habitats. The python problem in Florida is a glaring example. Could kangaroos in Texas escape and gain a foothold in Texas?

Numerous historical sightings of wild kangaroos in the United States date back over a hundred years.  The first recorded sighting occurred in 1899 in New Richmond, Wisconsin. I've been to Wisconsin in the winter, I highly doubt this sighting. Besides, only one woman saw it and the kangaroo was never found.

The best documented wild sighting of a kangaroo in the United States happened in Chicago in 1974. Police attempted to capture the kangaroo but were ultimately unsuccessful. It was spotted a few more times after that in the city and disappeared. Given the rampant crime in Chicago then and now, the poor thing was probably murdered.

In 2013 a farmer caught a kangaroo on video in Oklahoma. We would post the video, but there were many unedited "f" bombs floating around in the video.  I am not judging. That might actually be a natural reaction to seeing a kangaroo on your cattle farm.

Kangaroo experts say it is not impossible that a kangaroo population could live off the land in Texas.

It would be hard for them to hide as big as they are. Likewise, they would have to compete with native, better-adapted, species for food and resources. Kangaroos might find themselves vulnerable to coyotes and bobcats.

In conclusion, while it might be possible for kangaroos to get a foothold in Texas, it is improbable.  We have many more significant problems dealing with packs of wild dogs, deer on our highways, and that ever-present fear of highly intelligent super pigs from Canada.

Maybe we can train a kangaroo army to fight off the super pigs before they arrive. And you thought those "Sharknado" movies were entertaining.

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Endangered West Texas Animals

Animals we just don't see as much anymore here in West Texas

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