Kangaroos are some of the most unique animals in the world. They’re found in Australia and New Zealand, but they’re also popular around the world. From their iconic hop to their special pouch, kangaroos have a lot of interesting facts that make them so special. Here are 10 fun facts about kangaroos that you may not know!
1. Female kangaroos have a pouch on their stomachs that they use to carry and protect their young. This pouch is called a “marsupium”. It can even stretch to fit multiple joeys at once!
2. Baby kangaroos, called “joeys”, are born after only 33 days of gestation. They are only 2 cm long and weigh less than one gram at birth! Joeys live in their mom’s pouch for around nine months until they’re big enough to be out on their own.
3. Kangaroos have powerful hind legs that allow them to hop up to 25 miles per hour – faster than any other mammal!
4. As herbivores, kangaroos eat mostly grasses and leaves but also sometimes insects and small reptiles like lizards and snakes.
5. Male kangaroos can grow up to 6 feet tall and weigh as much as 200 pounds – that’s bigger than most humans! Female kangaroos are smaller, usually weighing between 50-110 pounds when fully grown.
6. Kangaroo tails help them balance while hopping, but they can also use it as an extra limb when needed! The tail is strong enough to support the animal’s weight when standing upright or helping it turn quickly while running or jumping away from predators like dingoes or crocodiles!
7. Despite being incredibly fast runners, kangaroos can’t move backwards easily because their hind legs are too weak for this kind of movement so instead they just turn around by doing a little spin with their front paws!
8. When threatened by predators such as dingoes or crocodiles, kangaroos will often flee into water where the predator cannot follow them due to its lack of swimming ability – this gives the roo time to escape without danger!
9. Kangaroo mothers produce two different kinds of milk depending on the age of her joey; one type for newborns and another type for older joeys who need more fat and protein in order to grow properly!
10. There are over 50 species of kangaroo in Australia alone – from tiny rat-kangaroo species only a few inches high at the shoulder all the way up to huge red-necked wallabies which stand over 4 feet tall!
Who knew there was so much more to learn about these amazing animals? These 10 fun facts about kangaroos show just how unique these marsupials really are – from their incredible hopping abilities all the way down to producing two different types of milk depending on age! With so much variety among species too, there is sure something new for everyone interested in these fascinating creatures! Whether you’ve been studying them or just want some fun information, learning more about our furry friends is always rewarding!
