Page 84 - Atlas Of The World's Strangest Animals

84 ATLAS OF THE WORLD’S STRANGEST ANIMALS

male kangaroo can jump up to 9m (30ft) in one leap. So,
Red kangaroo habitats
though this is a strange method of locomotion, it lets
kangaroos reach speeds of over 56km/h (35mph). Even
‘cruising speed’ is an impressive 20-25km/h (13-16mph).
They can reach such staggering speeds due to the
combination of powerful legs and long, hind feet. On each
hind foot is an enlarged fourth toe.This is lined up with
the kangaroo’s leg bone which, in turn, is anchored by
‘elastic’ tendons more than 1cm (0.4in) thick.When ’roos
hop, both hind feet hit the ground simultaneously.The
effect is like someone pushing down on a huge spring.
Relax, and the tension is released and the kangaroo
‘ricochets’ forwards.
But why hop rather than walk? There’s some evidence
that kangaroos didn’t always move around in such a
dramatic fashion. Fossils seem to show that it was the
development of their over-sized fourth toe that gave them
the ability to bound. Once this happened, ’roos never
looked back.Although it may look like an extremely tiring
way to get around, hopping is very efficient: the faster they
For a kangaroo, walking is quite a tricky process.To do so, move, the more efficiently their bodies work. In fact,
’roos must swing their huge, hind legs forwards, while modern-day kangaroos have no choice but to hop
supporting their body on their short arms and powerful because, except when they swim, their hind legs can’t
tail. It’s an ungainly method of getting about and belies the move independently.
fact that, at speed, these great Australian animals are truly
awesome.Then, they bound, like some impossibly giant Beanie babies
rabbit, with their hind legs propelling them forwards, and It took almost 300 years for scientists to discover exactly
their tails held almost horizontally as a counterweight.A how baby kangaroos are born and reach the pouch. Even

Comparisons

Throughout the Australian continent, kangaroos and their marsupial around thick scrubland and dense forests.And boodies (Bettongia
cousins have adapted to fill a range of environmental niches. Larger lesueur), which are small, ratlike marsupials, make their
species, like the red kangaroo, are creatures of the open, grassy plains. homes in open, sandy regions – perfect
The medium-sized pademelons (genus Thylogale) enjoy life in and for burrowing.

Boodie Pademelon Red kangaroo

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