Kangaroo

Kangaroo

Kangaroos are able to attain speeds of forty miles per hour while hopping.

Red kangaroos live in the arid plains of central Australia and are the largest surviving marsupials anywhere in the world -- they can grower taller than a full grown man! Marsupials give birth to their babies early and then carry them in protected pouches until they can survive on their own. Red kangaroos' babies, or joeys, remain in their mother's pouches for up to a year while she nurses and nurtures them. Red kangaroos are herbivores; this means they only eat plants. They can go long periods of time without water as long as they have access to green plants. They're nocturnal and spend their days sleeping or resting. When male kangaroos fight, it looks like they're boxing. They stand on their hind legs and push, jab, and kick at each other. Red kangaroos have powerful legs and can jump as much as thirty feet in one bound. They live in groups called mobs that range anywhere from thirty to over three hundred animals. Females have a bluish-gray coat with a hint of brown and are called 'blue flyers.'