Kangaroos

The kangaroo is a singular creature. What otherenvironment. To conserve energy and keep cool
animal can jump a distance of 28 feet, or a heightkangaroos are crepuscular, meaning that they
of 6 feet? What other animal can hop at speedsrest during the day and are most active at
of 43 miles per hour? What other animal uses itstwilight hours. They shelter under trees and in
muscular tail as a third "leg" to help balance andcaves and rock clefts during the day. Instead of
stabilize and holds kickboxing matches tosweating and panting, kangaroos lick themselves
determine breeding rights? There's only one animalall over to cool off. Their long hindquarters have a
that fits this description-the kangaroo.stretchy tendon and studies have shown that
At the mention of the word kangaroo two wordseven the kangaroo's breathing is synchronized
instantly jump into people's minds: pouch andwith their rhythmic leaping. In this way their agile
Australia. Indeed, these large marsupials arebodies are designed to be fast and
natives to the land down under. Three species ofenergy-efficient, two important qualities that are
kangaroos populate the continent: Reds, Easternneeded to cover the long distances in search of
Grays, and Western Grays. Since man appearedfood and water. Kangaroos are not built for
50,000 years ago kangaroos have been anwalking, and their legs do not move independently
important resource to Australia's Indigenousof each other. Because of this they cannot walk
peoples and have been used for food, clothing,backwards. This fact won kangaroos a prominent
and shelter. They are still hunted today, but onlyposition on the Australian coat-of-arms, where it
under strict government control. Specially adaptedsymbolized progress and forward movement.
for the fragile ecosystem, kangaroos thrive inKangaroos travel in groups of ten or more called
their home.mobs, led by the largest dominant male, called the
Kangaroos are the largest surviving marsupials inboomer. Boomers may wander in and out of the
the world. A male buck can reach 6 ½ feetmob, but they retain exclusive breeding rights
tall, and weigh 200 pounds. Female flyers arewith the females. If the mob is approached by an
slightly smaller. Their babies, called joeys, are borninfrequent predator, (dingoes, dogs, and
at only 31-36 days gestation. (This iscarnivorous reptiles represent the kinds of animals
developmentally equivalent to a 7 week oldwho may prey on kangaroos), the group will
human embryo!) At only 0.35 ounces, the joey'sscatter. Sometimes a kangaroo will fight its
forelimbs are developed enough to climb from theenemy, and can be a formidable foe. Using its
birth canal to its mother's pouch, where itfront paws to hold its attacker, the kangaroo will
attaches to one of four teats. There it staysdisembowel the enemy with its powerful
cuddled up for nine months, transforming from ahindquarters. Few people know that kangaroos
hairless, pink, bean-sized mite, to an irresistiblycan swim, and they will sometimes lead an
furry, doe-eyed darling. Then it will venture out ofattacker to a pool. There they will hold the enemy
the security of its pouch for a short adventureunderwater and drown it. These traits, as well as
before hopping back in. Its mother will feed andtheir ability to reproduce so rapidly, give
protect it another nine months, until her next joeykangaroos an advantage in the wild, where they
is born. Flyers are perpetually pregnant once theyare abundant. Kangaroos live 9-18 years.
reach maturity. Immediately after giving birth theyThe story is told about how kangaroos got their
go into heat. The fertilized embryo will go into aname. When Europeans first landed on the
dormant state until the older joey has vacatedAustralian continent they saw the creature for
the pouch. The milk produced by the flyer isthe first time, and in astonishment they asked an
specially suited to its growing joey's needs. If sheaborigine what it was called. The aborigine
is simultaneously feeding an older and a youngerresponded, "Kangaroo," meaning I don't
joey, a flyer may produce two different kinds ofunderstand your question. The Europeans thought
milk!that was its name, and from that time forward
The rangeland where kangaroos graze is hot andthe world learned about the unique marsupial of
arid, but kangaroos are suited for theirAustralia-the singular kangaroo.