Fun & Interesting Facts About Kangaroos
Kangaroos are a symbol of Australia! These cute hoppy animals cover a big amount of the total animal population of Australia.
There is plenty more that most of us don’t know about kangaroos. Here is a list of 7 fun & interesting facts about kangaroos.
Kangaroos are fast
Kangaroos can hop comfortably with a speed of about 21 to 26 km per hour, but they can sprint up to 71 km/h for a short time. This is faster than the fastest horse!
With their strong hind legs and huge feet, they can jump about 9 meters in just a single leap! Kangaroos have small legs in front and a strong long muscular tail, which assists them to balance when jumping.
Kangaroos can swim
Kangaroos know how to swim and usually, they swim to cross a river to avoid predators or defend themselves. They hold their head above the water for breathing and paddle using their legs, which can move freely in the water. They use the tail for propelling through the water and can even drown the pursuer using the front paws.
They also have great hearing and can move the ears in every direction to catch sounds. Kangaroos have excellent eyesight too but they only work for moving objects.
Kangaroos are herbivores
They prefer to chew on herbs, grasses and shrubs. Due to this grazing habit, they have special teeth. Their front teeth or incisors can cut grass nearest to the ground when their molars grind and chop the grass.
They can survive on a very small amount of water and can survive for months with no drinking at all. They usually relax in some shade throughout the day and get back later in the evening or afternoon when it is cooler outside.
Kangaroos can kick powerfully
Male kangaroos often combat one another for winning a mate or dominance. Balancing on the tail, kangaroos lean back and kick and punch to throw the target off balance. Sometimes they wrestle too. Big claws on the feet and powerful leg muscles make sure that the kick is damaging and painful. Males have thickened belly skin to protect them from painful kicks. Male kangaroos learn to fight at a young age. At first with the mother and later with other same-age males.
Kangaroos hop because they need to
We see kangaroos hopping all the time. It is because they cannot move their legs separately. Their leg’s structure makes them unable to use them for walking.
Kangaroo’s tail works as a third leg
The tail of a kangaroo works for balancing, but it is also useful as an additional leg. They have a special move in which using their tail right after making a jump with the legs, they stand up from the ground. The power of the tail is equal to the force of the legs combined.
Australia features more kangaroos than humans
Compared to the 24 million people residing in Australia, there are over 44 million kangaroos according to the latest data. This is a big jump from 2009 where there were just 27 million kangaroos! Kangaroos are amongst the most abundant big mammals on the planet.