Native to Australia,
kangaroos are marsupials that belong to the Macropodidae family. There are four
main species of kangaroo: Antilopine, Eastern Grey, Red and Western Grey. There
are other members of the kangaroo family that are much smaller and populate
both Australia
and New Guinea.
Distinctive features of the kangaroo include large padded
feet, pouches for carrying their young (in the female members of the species),
long noses and very long thick tails used for balance. Kangaroos are the only
mammals that utilize hopping as their main means of moving around. They can hop
at a rate of 25 miles per hour.
Most kangaroos are nocturnal herbivores. They spend their
days resting and their nights forging for plants, shrubs and fungus to
consumer. Interestingly, kangaroos due to release methane gas as a part of
their digestive system.
Baby kangaroos or joeys are born very early (compare to a
seven week old fetus in human terms) and spend nine months living inside their
mother's frontal pouch. Although female kangaroos are constantly pregnant they
are unique in being able to pause (called diapause) one pregnancy while they
wean a joey in their pouch. This is one of the many adaptations kangaroos have
made to living in dry drought stricken habitats.