17 Interesting Facts About Kangaroo

Kangaroos are iconic animals that are only found in Australia. These hopping marsupials are a familiar sight across the Australian landscape, known for carrying their young (joeys) in pouches. While kangaroos may look cute and cuddly, they can also be quite fierce and deliver nasty kicks when threatened.

Here are 17 fascinating facts about kangaroos that highlight these amazing creatures:

Facts About Kangaroo

1. Kangaroos are very bouncy – A kangaroo can hop up to 30 feet (9 meters) in a single bound and leap up to 10 feet (3 meters) high, thanks to the strength of its hind legs and feet. They can also reach speeds of over 35 miles per hour (56 km/h).
2. They have excellent balance – Kangaroos use their long, thick tail to balance while hopping. The tail also acts as a third leg when they are standing still.
3. Kangaroos are marsupials – Like other marsupials, female kangaroos have a pouch on their belly called a marsupium where joeys develop. Baby kangaroos are called joeys.
4. Joeys are incredibly small at birth – Newborn joeys are about the size of a jellybean! They instinctively crawl from the birth canal into the mother’s pouch after birth.
5. A joey lives in its mother’s pouch for months – Joeys live in their mother’s pouch for 9-10 months, drinking milk and continuing to grow. They first peek out at about 22 weeks.
6. Kangaroos have complex stomachs – Kangaroos regurgitate their food from their stomachs and re-chew it before it passes through the rest of the digestive system, similar to cows.
7. They live in groups called mobs – Kangaroos live in social groups or herds called mobs. A mob may have 10 or more kangaroos. The dominant male is called a boomer.
8. Kangaroos use their feet to communicate – Male kangaroos sometimes fight by kicking each other or biting. Before fighting, they stamp their feet and flex their arm muscles.
9. They make various sounds – Kangaroos can hiss, cough, growl, and make clucking sounds. Males also make loud clicking sounds during courtship.
10. Their habitat is shrinking – Habitat loss is a major threat. Kangaroos need large open spaces and are threatened as forests are cleared for farms.
11. Kangaroos have few natural predators – Dingos and eagles prey on kangaroos. But kangaroos face more danger from humans, droughts, bushfires, and traffic accidents.
12. There are four main kangaroo species – The Red kangaroo, Eastern grey kangaroo, Western grey kangaroo, and Antilopine kangaroo are the most common species.
13. Some kangaroos can pause pregnancies – If conditions are poor and raising a joey would be difficult, some kangaroo species can put pregnancies “on pause”. This is called embryonic diapause.
14. Their feet are interesting – Kangaroos have four toes on each foot. Their hind feet have very long nails for grip, and the soles have cushioning to lessen impact when hopping.
15. They are featured on Australia’s coat of arms – The red kangaroo and emu symbolize Australia on both its coat of arms and its currency. Kangaroos also feature in many Australian company logos.
16. Kangaroos can swim – While not natural swimmers, kangaroos can swim if necessary, especially red kangaroos. They have even been spotted cooling off while relaxing in water holes.
17. Kangaroos never stop growing – Kangaroos keep growing their entire life so males can be over 6 feet tall and 200 lbs. The world record for the tallest kangaroo was over 12 feet from nose to tail.

In conclusion, kangaroos are amazing creatures uniquely adapted to survive in the harsh Australian landscape. From their bouncy gait to raise young in pouches, they continue to fascinate people around the world. Their speed, power and family bonds create one of nature’s most endearing sights.