- Kangaroos are the largest marsupial mammals. They belong to the Macropodidae
family.
- Kangaroo moves by hopping on its hind legs using its tail for steering
and balancing while hopping at speed up to 40mph/60kmh
- When kangaroo is moving slowly the tail is used as an extra leg and
supports the kangaroo when it is standing on its hind legs.
- Most kangaroos can only move both back legs together and not one
at a time
- Kangaroos are found in Australia, Tasmania, and New Guinea.
- They are grazing animals that eat grass, young shoots and leaves of
heath plants and grass trees.
- Kangaroos need very little water to survive and are capable of going
for months without drinking at all.
- A male kangaroo is called a buck. It is also commonly called a "boomer"
or an "old man".
- A female kangaroo is called a doe, or a flyer. A baby kangaroo is
called a joey.
- Kangaroos are social animals that live in groups or "mobs"
of at least two or three individuals and up to 100 kangaroos
- Kangaroos usually have one young annually. The joey remains in the
pouch for nine months and continues to suckle until twelve to seventeen
months of age
- Kangaroos can have 3 babies at one time. One becoming mature and
just out of the pouch, another developing in the pouch and one embryo
in pause mode
- There are 4 teats in the pouch and each provides different milk for
the different stages of development.
- They rest in the heat of the day.
- They pant like a dog.
- They dig shallow holes under trees and lie in the cool sand.
- They have a spit bath by licking their arms.
- Kangaroos are very good swimmers but they will only take to water
when chased or if they have no other choice.
- They have very good hearing, eyesight and sense of smell.
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