Meet the Roos!

Meet Bindi and Rooney—the original two kangaroos who started it all! Now 11 years old, they no longer participate in public experiences and are happily enjoying their Roo-Tirement at the ranch.

Bindi was named after Steve Irwin’s daughter, while Rooney helped inspire both our love of kangaroo puns and our tradition of athlete-inspired names!

Both are thriving as they age, with just a little arthritis for Bindi and a few small cataracts for Rooney. Red Kangaroos in human care can live into their late teens and sometimes around 20 years old, so we’re hopeful these two are closer to middle-aged than old folks! With the expertise of our veterinary partners at Colorado State University Veterinary Teaching Hospital and our private-practice veterinary team, we’re able to provide exceptional care as their needs change with age.

These two started our story, and we feel incredibly lucky to continue loving, caring for, and learning from them throughout every stage of their lives. Roo-Tirement is simply the next chapter of their lifelong home with us.

Sweet, silly, and just the right amount of sassy, Luka has one of the most lovable personalities at Kangaroo Ranch. His favorite treat is apples, and one of his absolute favorite activities is doing zoomies through the Colorado snow! He is incredibly affectionate with the people he knows and has a wonderfully goofy side that always keeps the Roo Crew laughing.

With those big kangaroo feet and some serious hops, it only seemed fitting that a few members of our Roo Crew be named after basketball players! Luka was named after Luka Dončić, who began his NBA career with the Dallas Mavericks—a little nod to Texas, the home state of one of Kangaroo Ranch’s owners.

Born on October 19, Luka is almost three years old and has grown into an incredibly sweet and gentle roo. He may be a big softie at heart, but he certainly isn’t afraid to let you know when he has an opinion—or when he thinks something should be done his way! With his affectionate nature, playful personality, and signature little bit of sass, Luka has a way of making just about everyone fall in love with him.

 Affectionately known as “Froggy,” Kyrie got his nickname as a slightly disproportionate little joey who still had some growing into himself to do—and he has certainly grown into one handsome roo! He is easy to spot by the dark markings around his muzzle and nose, which are more prominent than those of our other kangaroos. His favorite snack is usuallycarrots, although Kyrie likes to change his mind just often enough to keep the Roo Crew guessing.

Kyrie was named after Kyrie Irving to go along with his older half-brother, Luka. Watching Irving and Luka Dončić play together for the Dallas Mavericks was something special, and we loved the idea of capturing a little of that team spirit in the names of our own Luka and Kyrie.

Born February 23, Kyrie is Luka’s younger half-brother, sharing the same dad and coming along about four months after him. He definitely knows that Luka is the big brother in charge… but like any good little brother, he isn’t afraid to test that every once in a while! Curious, handsome, and full of personality, Kyrie has grown from our funny little “Froggy” into an incredible adult roo.

If there are pears involved, Hazel is interested—no questions asked! They are hands-down her favorite treat, and even our sweet, sensitive girl has been known to get a little naughty when pears are on the line. She especially loves Kangaroo Yoga, where the calmer atmosphere gives her the perfect opportunity to relax and enjoy being around her people.

After naming Ruby for her beautiful coloring, we continued the color theme with her best buddy. Keaton has always admired her mom’s hazel eyes, so “Hazel” became a special tribute to the person who inspired so much of her love for animals. One of our wonderful regular guests, Maddie, also gave her the nickname “Hazelnut”—and it officially stuck!

Hazel has a more subtle personality than her confident buddy Ruby and reminds us to pay attention to the quieter ways animals communicate. Our sweet little Christmas birthday girl was born December 21 and will be turning two at the end of this year! As a joey, she even sucked on a tiny patch of her own belly fur like a built-in pacifier. Gentle, sensitive, and completely herself, Hazel continues to win the hearts of everyone she meets.

When we talk about sassy kangaroos, Ruby is exactly who we’re talking about. Whether she’s stealing someone’s yoga mat so she can take a nap or simply reminding everyone that she is, in fact, the princess of Kangaroo Ranch, Ruby has never been short on personality. Her favorite treats are pears and sweet potatoes—although we’re pretty sure she believes anything good should belong to her anyway.

Ruby’s name was inspired by her gorgeous, bright red coat—and, of course, we couldn’t resist another perfectly punny kangaroo name! Her coloring made “Ruby” an easy choice and ultimately inspired us to continue the color theme when it came time to name her best buddy, Hazel.

Born January 2, Ruby will be turning two soon and is especially unique for a female Red Kangaroo. While females typically have more blue-gray coloring, Ruby sports a beautiful bright reddish coat more commonly associated with males. Between her striking appearance, confidence, and unmistakable sass, Ruby has absolutely mastered the art of standing out from the crowd.

Jojo for short… or Joseph if he’s being bad! Named after Denver Nuggets star Nikola Jokić, Joker is every bit as confident, goofy, and entertaining as his namesake. With flashy white markings that extend farther up his nose than any of our other kangaroos and a beautiful strawberry-blonde coat, he is quite the stunner! For now, his favorite food is still his regular diet, but he’s beginning to venture into the exciting world of fruits and veggies—and keeping an open mind about his future favorites.

Born August 7, Joker recently celebrated his first birthday and is growing beautifully. He is one of the most active joeys we have ever worked with and has energy to spare! Whether he’s exploring something new, playing with his buddy Murray, or finding another way to make himself the center of attention, Joker approaches just about everything with complete confidence. One of his favorite activities is testing just how fast he can go, hopping all the way across his outdoor enclosure before stopping at the other end looking incredibly pleased with himself. Confident, curious, and always ready to show off, life with Jojo is rarely boring!

Murray is as sweet as they come. Affectionately known as “Keaton’s shadow,” he can often be found following her around, showing just how unique the bonds between kangaroos and their keepers can become. With his darker brown coat and gentle personality, Murray couldn’t look—or act—more different from his best buddy, Joker.

Continuing our basketball naming tradition, Murray was named after Jamal Murray of the Denver Nuggets, pairing him with Joker to represent a little Colorado team spirit in the Roo Crew!

Right now, Murray is quite possibly the biggest cuddle bug in the world and seems convinced that joey snuggles during our educational experiences were invented specifically for him. Born September 5, he just celebrated his first birthday—although we still think of him as the tiny joey we fell in love with. He even has his own unusual “pacifier”: after starting with one of his back toes, Murray has decided the tip of his tail works much better!

Every kangaroo who joins Kangaroo Ranch has a home with us for life. We recognize that every animal is an individual, with their own personality, preferences, needs, and comfort levels, and we continually assess their care and participation accordingly.

Our kangaroos are never required to participate in public experiences. If an individual shows us that they no longer enjoy meeting new people or participating in our educational programs, we listen. Their wellbeing will always come before an experience, and they will continue to receive the same lifelong care whether or not they participate.

Kangaroo Ranch stands for the highest standards of animal care and welfare. We believe every animal deserves to be treated with respect, compassion, and dignity, with their physical health, behavioral needs, and overall quality of life at the center of every decision we make.

We do not support the abuse, neglect, exploitation, or unfair treatment of animals in any form. Our commitment extends beyond simply meeting basic requirements—we continually strive to provide exceptional husbandry, nutrition, veterinary care, enrichment, appropriate environments, and individualized care throughout every stage of our animals’ lives.