Because it’s getting close to Christmas, I’ve been thinking about all my human and kangaroo friends and relatives who live in England.
Although my great, great, great, great Grandparents moved from Australia to England a loooong, long time ago, we all still remember our Australian roots – even more so since myself and my family moved to Melbourne.
So I started having a look at our family tree and decided I would do some research on red kangaroos. I found out lots of interesting information and I thought I would share it with you.
I’m not sure about the bit about male red kangaroos having big noses though – how very rude!
The Red Kangaroo
With their rubber band-like legs, pointed ears and a squared-off muzzle, red kangaroos are considered as the largest of all kangaroos and the largest terrestrial mammal that is native to Australia. They are known as one of the most abundant and striking of all kangaroos that exist all over the world. They have 2 front legs with small claws, 2 strong back legs that are used for jumping, and a strong tail that’s used for balance when standing upright and serves as a fifth leg when walking slowly.
The male kangaroo stands up to 2 meters tall – they are much larger and have more powerful muscles than the female. They also have a much larger, bow-shaped nose. Male kangaroos also have larger shoulders and forearms, heavily clawed forepaws, and a thick skin over the belly that absorbs the impact of kicks during fights. Male kangaroos have short, red-brown fur, fading to pale buff below and on the limbs.
On the other hand, female kangaroos are much smaller than males and are blue-grey with a brown tinge, and a pale grey below. Females who live in drier areas are coloured more like males though.
In both genders, the face has a black and white patch on the side of the muzzle. They have a broad white stripe along the cheek. Their fur insulates their body to keep their temperature not higher than 36 Degrees Celsius. These kangaroos are awake at night and asleep during the day, making them a nocturnal animal.
What does the Red Kangaroo eat?
Red kangaroos eat grasses and other vegetation. They can live without water because they are getting enough liquid from the plants they are eating. And they have teeth that enable them to cut their food almost down the roots.
They are very fast and can run up to 64 kilometers per hour. Some of them live alone and others live in groups, mostly consisting of 10 kangaroos. They can live up to 27 years and they live in dry regions around the mainland areas. They are mostly out in places people can see them. And they are very curious animals who like to explore the environment around them.
Truly, kangaroos are very adorable. They are very unique and should be taken care off and preserved for the next generation to see their beauty.