Totally True Tuesday ~ Guess Who

I have strong, powerful back legs and a thick tail to help me balance.  I can hop up to 60  kilometres per hour (40 miles) and leap up to 3 metres (10 feet) high.  I also keep my baby safe in my pouch.

Can you guess who I am?

I’m a kangaroo!

Where  in the World?

There are 60 different species of kangaroos and they are found all over Australia.  Some species such as the tree kangaroo and forest wallabies can be found in Papua New Guinea.  And even though kangaroos are not normally thought to be in Hawaii, Great Britain or New Zealand, some feral animals have been found to live there.

Kangaroo Kitchen

The Red Kangaroo can weigh in at a whopping 200 pounds and be 6 feet tall!  What does he eat to get so big.  It`s a fact that all kangaroos are herbivores, so it pays to eat your veggies!

Some kangaroos that live in the dryer regions of Australia can go long periods of time without drinking a single drop of water, months in fact! 

For the first 12-18 months of age a baby kangaroo or Joey will suckle on its mother inside her pouch. 

Mom has 4 teats that each provide different nourishment for all the stages of the baby`s growth.

Who`s Who When You`re a Kangaroo

Male kangaroos are called Bucks, Boomers or Jacks.  Females are Does, Flyers or Jills and the babies are Joeys, or you can just call them all Roos.  However, a group of kangaroos is called a mob.

It`s True for the Kangaroo

~ On land kangaroos can`t move their legs independently of each other
~ Kangaroos are good swimmers and it`s only in water that they can kick each leg one at a time.
~ They can`t move backwards
~ Kangaroos are the only large, hopping animal
~ They not only use their tail for balance, but as a fifth leg.
~ Kangaroos box to play, defend their territory and to attract a mate.
~ They are nocturnal

Now that you know a bit about kangaroos check out the Wonder Word list below for the meanings of the bold words scattered throughout the article.

For more information on the Kangaroo check out the world wide web or your local library.


Wonder Words List

1)  Herbivore - one that feeds on plants
2)  Nourishment - food/nutrients
3) Independently - each working separately
4) Nocturnal - Active at night

For more stories, fun and non-fiction for kids, check out our web site at; http://www.knowonder.com