Facts about Kangaroo

Kangaroo Facts

Did you know that Kangaroos have very strong hind legs and they jump almost everywhere they go? They use their tail to help them jump higher. Their tail acts as a fifth leg. They can also walk on all four feet if they have too, but they prefer to hop!!

Can a kangaroo jump higher than the Empire State Building?  Leave a comment with your answer.

 

Facts about kangaroos:

1. Kangaroos are often referred to as roos. A female kangaroo is called a flyer, doe or Jill. A male kangaroo is called a boomer, buck or Jack. A baby kangaroo is called a Joey! A group of kangaroos is called a mob or a troop.

2. Kangaroos can swim but they can’t walk backwards.

3. There are four species of kangaroos; the Antilopine kangaroo (Macropus antilopinus), the Eastern grey kangaroo (Macropus giganteus), the Red kangaroo (Macropus rufus), and the Western grey kangaroo (Macropus fuliginosus).

4. Most kangaroos are herbivores. They eat plants, flowers, grasses, moss, and some insects.

5. Kangaroos can cover up to 25 feet or more in one leap and they can jump straight up to 6 feet high.

6. Kangaroos can weigh up to 200 pounds and be as tall as 7 feet. Kangaroos are the world’s largest marsupials. The Red kangaroo is the largest of the different types of kangaroos.

7. Kangaroos live in Australia and New Guinea.

8. Kangaroos can live up to 10 years in the wild and up to 25 years in captivity.

 

Can you share a fact about kangaroos with us?  

 

Books about kangaroos:

1. Kangaroos (Amazing Animals) by Kate Riggs

2. Does a Kangaroo Have a Mother, Too? by Eric Carle

3. Jump, Kangaroo, Jump! (MathStart 3) by Stuart Murphy

4. Kangaroos for Kids by Judith Lehne

5. Never Touch a Kangaroo! by Stuart Lynch

6. Kylie Kangaroo's Karate Kickers by Barbara deRubertis

Parents be sure books are child friendly before reading them to your child/children.