The Kangaroo
Copyright © Koole Imaging There are actually thee different groups of kangaroo types, with a total of about 50 species. There are the big kangaroos and wallabies, including the tree kangaroos, and the rat kangaroos (not the same as the kangaroo rats found in North America, which are actually a type of rat - a rodent!), and the musk rat kangaroos. There is more difference between kangaroos and wallabies than their size. Kangaroos are much bigger - up to 2.4 metres (8 ft) tall, while wallabies are up to 600 mm (2 ft). Wallabies have different teeth, and have brighter colouring. Kangaroos tend to live in open grasslands and eat grass and so their teeth are designed to cut grass. Their teeth are curved and have ridges and high crowns that can cut and slice the grass. Wallabies live in bushland areas and eat mainly leaves. Their teeth are designed to grind up leaves, so it has flat teeth. More info on kangaroo teeth here.
Copyright © Koole Imaging The best known kangaroos are the big kangaroos, both the reds and the greys. They're fast! A bir - 2.1 metre (7ft) tall eastern grey can travel at up to 55 km/h (35 mph), covering up to 8 metres (25 ft) in one jump. Male kangaroos are known as 'Boomers' or jacks; females are known as jills or flyers. Young kangaroos are known as joeys. Groups of kangaroos are generally called 'mobs', though sometimes they're called 'troops'. Kangaroos hop. Because it is the most energy efficient way to get around. But I reckon there's more to it than that. I reckon God delighted in making all sorts of different animals. The design is brilliant. Their feet are specially designed to hop, their tails balance them and act as shock absorbers. Kangaroos are good at swimming. It's the only time they can move their legs independently. Also, it's very difficult for them to move backwards. There's not much in the Australian outback that can give a fully grown 'boomer' a hard time. Perhaps a dingo or a wedge tailed eagle might.
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