Did you know that the top speed of a red kangaroo is 70km/h? Let’s find out what else is interesting about the kangaroo.
1. Kangaroo mobs
In most countries, a group of kangaroos is referred to as a herd, but the Australians call them a mob. There are 60 different species of kangaroos, and they vary in size. The most popular kangaroo is called the common wallaroo or the Eastern grey kangaroo. The different kangaroos mostly share the same characteristics, but the Bennett’s tree kangaroo can even climb trees.
2. Forward thinkers
A kangaroo cannot walk or hop backwards, due to his large tail and long feet. He can move side to side quickly and he can make an amazing 180° turn in one single hop. The red kangaroo’s average hopping speed is between 20 and 25km/h.
3. Long jump champ
The Olympic record for long jump for humans is currently 8.9m, while kangaroos can jump 8m in a single hop on average. Kangaroos don’t need a running start to jump that far. It’s their large and powerful hindlegs that makes jumping this distance a breeze.
4. Kickboxing master
Kangaroos don’t really box, but would rather kick, and they are kicking machines! A single kick from a kangaroo is so powerful that it can kill a man. The force of the kick comes from the kangaroo’s hindlegs.
5. King of the marsupials
Kangaroos are the largest members of the marsupial group – animals who carry their babies in their pouches. Other marsupials include koalas, wombats, sugar gliders and Tasmanian devils. The babies of marsupials are born very early and then continue to develop in their mothers’ pouches.
6. Jellybean joey
Baby kangaroos are called joeys. When a joey is born, he is merely 2.5cm long – the size of a jellybean. The joey remains in his mother’s pouch for six months. He cannot swallow when he is very young, so his mother feeds him milk through special muscles in her pouch.
7. Quick getaway
Joeys dive headfirst into their mothers’ pouches when there is any danger. This allows the mother to flee more quickly with her joey, without needing to wait for him. It also ensures that joeys don’t get lost while trying to flee. Inside the pouch, the joey will then move or twist into a more comfortable position.
