Nature Facts
Kangaroo
Download the coloring fact sheet
Kangaroo Facts:
- Kangaroos are the largest living marsupials.
- Kangaroos are found in Australia and Tasmania, as well as on surrounding islands.
- A group of Kangaroos is called a “mob”
- Female kangaroos give birth to one “joey” at a time.
- Newborns weigh as little as 0.03 ounces at birth–as small as a lima bean!
- The adult male Kangaroo is called buck, boomer or jack and females are called jills.
- A kangaroos top speed is over 60 km/h (close to 40 mph).
- All kangaroos are herbivores. They eat only plant matter.
- A kangaroo can leap 25ft. (7.6m) and to jump 6ft. (1.8m) high!
- Newborn kangaroos are the size of jellybean. After birth, they crawl up their mom’s bellies and into the pouch where they spend the next ten months growing.
- There are 60 different species of kangaroo. One can climb trees.
- They use their tails for balance. A kangaroo’s tail is strong enough to lift them off the ground while they are kicking.
- Kangaroos live in Eastern Australia. There are more kangaroos in Australia than there are people.
- They cannot move backwards.
- At their fastest, a kangaroo can go 43 mph for short distances.
Try This:
How far can you jump? Measure out 25ft in your yard and see just how far that is. Then mesasure 6ft tall and see how high the kangaroo can really jump! It's pretty amazing.
Kangaroos are very strong and muscular. You wouldn't want to pick a fight with them.
