Kangaroo Facts

Kangaroo Facts

The kangaroo is an animal from Australia that is truly one of the most unique animals in the world.  This is a type of animal that is noted for living in dry places and is noted for how it hops around the land with its long feet and large back legs. The kangaroo received its name from the Aboriginal word “gungurru.”  English settlers in the area used that word but had been pronouncing it as “kangaroo.” Many settlers thought they were originally deer who hopped like frogs, had no antlers and could stand up.  They were also confused about how females had their children in their pouches. A number of names are used for the kangaroo to this day.  A male can be referred to as a jack, boomer, buck or old man. A female can be called a jill, flyer or doe. A younger kangaroo is called a joey regardless of its gender. Also, when multiple kangaroos move around with each other the group is referred to as a mob or court. Kangaroos are marsupials that are also known as macropods who have large feet.  Their large feet work alongside their long legs. When a kangaroo moves it will hop on its back legs with its large and strong tail working to balance the animal’s body. This method of travel is valuable for long distances.  The front legs are several times smaller than that of the back legs. Because of this the motions that a kangaroo will make when moving slowly or when grazing for grass will work differently.

Can Kangaroos Swim?

Yes, kangaroos can swim and they are quite effective at it.

What Do Kangaroos Eat?

Kangaroos are herbivores. They eat grasses, flowers, leaves, ferns, moss and even insects. Kangaroos are like cows, kangaroos regurgitate their food and re-chew it before it is ready to be totally digested.

The front legs and the tail will keep the kangaroo propped up while the back legs slowly go forward. This works in a process known as crawl walking. Another interesting kangaroo fact is that it is a strong swimmer. If a kangaroo feels threatened it will move into a body of water for protection. Its front legs can work in self defense to hold predators down to drown them in the event of an attack. In some cases the kangaroo can grab the predator and destroy the predator with its hind legs. The diet that a kangaroo has works mostly with grass and other plants. Water is also common but a kangaroo can go for days without it. However, in the event of a drought it can get to where a kangaroo can clash into various parks and farming areas for water, thus putting it at risk of being culled. This is where the kangaroo is killed off in a population control measure. Kangaroos have a unique eating habit. Kangaroos eat early in the morning and late in the afternoon. They also rest in shady areas during the day. In many cases a kangaroo can use its front legs to scrape an area of the ground and use the newly revealed cool spot as a place to lie down in. This is especially critical because of how a kangaroo will not sweat.

A kangaroo can cool itself off by licking its paws and rubbing them onto its chest. Many of these animals can travel in mobs. Tens of them can be found in a single mob. This is critical because having more kangaroos in a mob will ensure that all members can be protected. This is especially in the event that a dingo, fox or feral cat or dog is present in the area. One of the most unique facts of kangaroos is the birthing process. During the gestation process the joey can develop but then stop and be “in suspense” before it can develop again. When a female gives birth the joey will be less than two grams in weight. The joey will climb into the mother’s pouch for protection. The joey will stay in the area for about nine months. The mother cannot touch it so she will have to lick a path in her fur along for the joey to move in. The milk from the mother will move to the joey and after nine months the joey will move out for an extended amount of time. After a while it can get to the point where the joey no longer needs the mother’s milk. In many cases the female can delay the development of a baby.

This is if there is a drought condition. This is done to ensure that the mother has enough milk and that water conditions will improve. A unique part about a kangaroo is that it can come in one of three different forms. The first is the red kangaroo. This is the larger type of kangaroo that features a red color for a male and a grey color for a female. A male can be 1.5m long and have a 1m tail while weighing 85kg. A female will be slightly smaller than this. These animals can be found in central parts of Australia in areas that are flat and hot with a small amount of rainfall. The second type of kangaroo is the grey kangaroo. This animal is not as large as a red kangaroo and it has a grayish brown appearance. Most of these animals can be found around the eastern part of the country. The third kangaroo to see is the tree kangaroo. This type of kangaroo can be found in tropical parts of Australia and Papua New Guinea. This kangaroo is different in that it lives in trees. The tail of a tree kangaroo will work to keep the animal properly balanced as it hops between branches. Also, the tails of these kangaroos are floppy and will hang down. They are not stiff like what regular kangaroos have. The front paws of a tree kangaroo can be raised above the animal’s head unlike with a normal kangaroo. This is used to ensure that the tree kangaroo can navigate around trees. These paws are also very flexible. They are flexible enough to where they can be used to move food to one’s mouth in order to be fed properly. These features make this type of animal one of the most unique animals to see in the world.

In addition to the beautiful kangaroos, there are many other wonderful creatures to check out along with interesting facts about amazing creatures like the Irish Elk, Hummingbird, Tibetan Mastiff, and Jaguar.

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