Kangaroos

Kangaroos

  • Submitted By: that1girl7
  • Date Submitted: 05/17/2013 3:05 PM
  • Category: Science
  • Words: 674
  • Page: 3
  • Views: 111

Did you know the kangaroo is the national symbol of Australia? Kangaroos cover Australia from north to south and from east to west. Although they’re known to be found in Australia, they are also commonly found in Tasmania and New Guinea. The most popular kangaroo is the red kangaroo. Following that you have other common kangaroos: the eastern gray kangaroo, western gray kangaroo, antilopine kangaroo, and the tree kangaroo.
Red kangaroos live in Australia’s deserts and open grasslands, gathering in mobs. The red kangaroo is the world’s largest marsupial and having a life span up to 23 years. Found hopping on their strong hind legs, they can reach up to speeds of over 35 miles per hour. Their strength allows them to hop 25 feet in length and up to 6 feet high. The females tend to be smaller, lighter, and faster than males and also tend to have more of a blue tint to their fur. This neat characteristic has many Australians calling them “blue fliers.” The males, on the other hand, use the power of their strength at times to fight over a mate. They achieve this by “boxing.” (National Geographic. Red Kangaroo. http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/red-kangaroo/)
Eastern gray kangaroos can be found in the forests of Australia and Tasmania while the western gray kangaroo is found throughout southern Australia. Eastern gray kangaroos prefer to live among the trees but will come out to the grasslands to graze and eat. Unlike the red kangaroos, the eastern gray kangaroos have a life span of 8 to 10 years while the western gray kangaroos can have a life span of up to 20 years. (National Geographic. Easter Gray Kangaroo. http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/mammals/gray-kangaroo/) The western male gray kangaroos are said to be extremely smelly, letting of an odor that smells like curry. (Wildlife Conservation Society. Western Gray Kangaroo. http://www.prospectparkzoo.com/animals-and-exhibits/animals/mammals/western-gray-kangaroo.aspx)
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