Red kangaroo has the ability to freeze the development of an embryo until the previous joey is able to leave the pouch. This is known as diapause, and will occur in times of drought and in areas with poor food sources. The composition of the milk produced by the mother varies according to the needs of the joey. In addition, red kangaroo mothers may "have up to three generations of offspring simultaneously; a young-at-foot suckling from an elongated teat, a young in the pouch attached to a second teat and a blastula in arrested development in the uterus". The kangaroo has also
Kangaroo industry concerned. The kangaroo harvesters' licenses are conditional on adherence to the guidelines laid out in the federal ‘Code of Practice for the Humane Shooting of Kangaroos’. This specifies the minimum high-caliber firearms which can be used, and requires all animals to be head-shot, and documents procedures for the humane dispatch of any pouch young. Any kangaroo or kangaroo product accepted by processors, be it for meat or skins, must have an approved tag applied to it and be supplied by a licensed harvester. Each processor must report on a monthly basis to the State authority the numbers of kangaroos purchased,