Kangaroo Facts

Kangaroos are found in Australia and have become one of the most loved animals around the world.

They have been depicted in cartoons as well as television and movies and are a favorite animal of children.

Kangaroo Facts for Kids

• Kangaroos are found in Australia
• They are herbivores (meat-eaters)
• They can hop at speeds up to 40 miles per hour
• They can’t walk backward
• The young kangaroos are known as ‘joeys.’
• Kangaroos are marsupials

Types of Kangaroos

Red kangaroo

The red kangaroo (Macropus rufus) is the largest marsupial in the world. They’re also the most powerful and biggest macropods. They are the easiest to recognize of all the kangaroos’ species.

Red kangaroos are found in Australia and mainly live in grasslands, and inhabit areas with little or no rain that is barren and not much vegetation.

The fur of adult male kangaroos is usually red or yellowish-brown. Females have bluish-gray fur on top of their bodies but pale gray fur on the lower body.

The female kangaroos are much smaller than the males. They can weigh between 40 and 80 pounds. Females can reach a height from 4.9 – 5.6 feet, and males are slightly bigger. The average height of a male is between 5.5 – 6.4 feet, and they can weigh around 200 pounds.

Most people can easily recognize the red kangaroo because of its long arms. They have a very distinctive face, white underparts, and very prominent black-and-white whiskers.

They have adapted to their environment very well. They have excellent vision, and the way their eyes are positioned on their head allows them to have 300-degree vision.

Did you know that they are nocturnal and only come out nighttime? Most of them will rest during the daytime and keep in the shades and move as little as possible because of the heat.

Their diet consists of green grass and shrubs. Water is not always available in the outback of Australia, and they can go without water for long periods of time. Once they have access to shrubs, they are able t0 extract moisture from the plants.  

Eastern Grey Kangaroo

Eastern gray kangaroos live in Australia and Tasmania’s forests. However, they prefer open grasslands for grazing. They love traveling long distances and can travel at average speeds of 15 miles an hour easily.

In a single leap, they are well able to cover up to 25 feet in distance and, believe it or not, jump 6 feet high.

Grass is their favorite food, but they eat a wide range of plants also, including fungi. Their favorite grasses are young green shoots that are high in protein. Dry grass can be challenging for them to digest.  Because this species is nocturnal, large herds gather at dusk to find food.

During the day, they sleep under trees or scrubs and move out to graze at night or in the early morning. This is to avoid hot weather. Their communication is clucking, and aggressive males make guttural sounds when frightened or think they are in danger.

Kangaroo legs have flexible tendons that help them to accelerate quickly and efficiently when needed. 

One female Eastern Grey Kangaroo recorded the highest speed of 64km/hr, which is really fast for kangaroo.

Antilopine Kangaroo

Antilopine Kangaroos are found in savanna woodlands throughout Australia’s northern and tropical regions.

They are also known as the antilopine wallaby. However, in the way it behaves, it is closer to the red and gray kangaroos.

On average, they live for about 16 years

The males can reach 1.2 meters, and females reach 850 mm on average.

Females may weigh up to 20 kg, while an adult male may weigh up to 49 kg.

Western Grey Kangaroo

They are large, muscled animals with small heads, large ears, and a long, thick tail. 

Unlike other kangaroos, Western Grey Kangaroos have a finely haired muzzle. Paws, feet, and tails are light to dark brown in color.

Their habitat includes woodlands, heathland, open grassland, and coastal heathland.

Newborns climb up to the pouch-like other marsupials shortly after birth. 

That newborn baby is so small. The struggle is exhausting up to the pouch.

By 6–8 months, the joey begins to leave the pouch and is independent by 11 months.

FAQ

What Are Baby Kangaroos Called?

Baby Kangaroos are called joeys.

Basically, Joey is a child or an animal.

Origin of this word is unknown. It’s likely from Australia in the 1830s and 40s.

How Big Are Kangaroos?

Kangaroos are between five and six feet tall.

Male kangaroos are taller and heavier than female kangaroos, weighing between 50 and 120 pounds (23 kilograms to 55 kilograms).

How do Kangaroos Travel?

Most kangaroos travel at around 15 miles per hour over a long distance. 

However, when necessary, they can speed up to 40 miles per hour over a shorter distance.

The kangaroo can jump as high as 6 feet

What are Mobs?

Kangaroos live in groups called mobs. Males, females, and joeys make up the mob.

The leader of the mob is the largest adult male kangaroo.

What Is A Kangaroos Habitat

They are only found in Australia and Tasmania. A kangaroo is very adaptable and changes its places for food all the time.

They can be found in grassy plains, woodlands, Savannahs, Clift areas. Grey kangaroos like to live in forests that are moist.

Antilopine kangaroo lives in eucalyptus woodlands. Scrubland, deserts, and grasslands are Red Kangaroos’ habitat.

Fun Kangaroo Facts

• Kangaroos are marsupials, which means they carry their young in a pouch in their bodies.
• There are four species of kangaroos.
• Boxing kangaroos hold each other with their powerful hind legs.
• The kangaroo is the only land animal on earth that uses a hopping motion to get around. This method of travel allows them to go farther distances using less energy. This is important when they are in an area that is low on food or water.
• The largest marsupial on the planet is the Red Kangaroo, which can grow to be as large as 2m, hop at a speed of 65 km per hour, and jump as high as 3m and 7.6 m in distance.
• Kangaroos hop on land with both hind legs together but when they are in the water they can swim moving each leg independently.
• Marsupials have an early birth baby. The creature is very tiny and crawls as a blind embryo up and into the mother’s pouch. It will stay and feed in the pouch for several months before leaving to come out into the world.
• Female kangaroos can not only make the selection of the gender of their babies but, if there is a drought or lack of food, they can delay the process until they know there will be enough to allow the baby to survive.
• Young kangaroos are called ‘joeys’ and if frightened, they will often jump headfirst into the pouch of their mother.
• Kangaroos have developed an excellent sense of hearing, with the ability to move their ears in different directions while their heads remain stationary.
• Kangaroos love to live in social groups and these can be as small as three or four or as many as over one hundred.
• Kangaroos are the national symbol of Australia and there are more kangaroos in the country than there are human beings.
• Kangaroos have very powerful legs and often use them in both play and aggressive behavior.