KANGAROO FACTS

Facts About Kangaroos

Kangaroos are a group of distinctive Australian animals; they are not found anywhere else. For that reason, they serve as an official symbol of Australia.

There are four species of kangaroos: The red kangaroo, the eastern gray kangaroo, the western gray kangaroo, and the Antilopine kangaroo. The red kangaroo is the largest, reaching a maximum adult weight of 90 kilos (200 pounds) and a height of around 2 meters (6 feet, 7 inches).

Red kangaroos live in the central part of the Australian continent, with the two gray kangaroos inhabiting the areas to the east and west, and the Antilopine kangaroo occupying the northern part of the country.

In addition to the four kangaroo species, there are also around 50 smaller species, including wallabies, that resemble, and are related to, kangaroos.

More Kangaroo Facts:

Like all Australian mammals, kangaroos are marsupials. That means that the female carries her young in a natural “pouch” on her body. The mammary glands are located inside the pouch, making it unnecessary for the baby to leave it in order to nurse. Baby kangaroos are called “joeys.” Female kangaroos generally give birth to one joey at a time.

Kangaroos are well known for their means of locomotion, which involves standing on their two hind feet and hopping—sometimes very rapidly when they feel the need for speed. When standing upright, kangaroos use their tails to help them balance.

Kangaroos are grazers—which means they eat grasses. Red kangaroos also browse, eating a variety of leafy material. All species live on grasslands and in lightly wooded areas; they feed and travel in large groups called “mobs.”