What makes kangaroos unique

The word kangaroo is said to derive from the Guugu Yimidhirr an Australian Aboriginal language word gangurru, referring to the Grey Kangaroo. The name was first recorded as kangaru by Joseph Banks on James Cook's first voyage of exploration, when they were beached at the mouth of the Endeavour River in the harbour of modern Cooktown for almost 7 weeks repairing their ship which had been damaged on the Great Barrier Reef.

Kangaroo soon became adopted into standard English where it has come to mean any member of the family of kangaroos and wallabies. The belief that it means "I don't understand" is a popular myth that is also applied to any number of other Aboriginal-sounding Australian words.

Male kangaroos are called bucks, boomers or jacks; females are does, flyers, or jills and the young are joeys. The collective noun for kangaroos is a mob.

The Red Kangaroo Macropus rufus is the largest surviving marsupial anywhere in the world. Red Kangaroos occupy the arid and semi-arid centre of the continent. A large male can be 1. The Eastern Grey Kangaroo Macropus giganteus is less well-known than the red outside of Australia , but the most often seen, as its range covers the fertile eastern part of the continent. The Western Grey Kangaroo Macropus fuliginosus is slightly smaller again at about 54 kg lbs for a large male. Kangaroos have large powerful hind legs, large feet designed for leaping, a long muscular tail for balance, and a small head.

They are the only large animals to use hopping as a means of locomotion. Kangaroos are large herbivores, feeding on grass and roots, and they chew cud. All species are nocturnal and crepuscular, usually spending the days idling quietly and the cool evenings, nights and mornings moving about and feeding, typically in groups called mobs. Newborn joeys are tiny, measuring just 2. Kangaroos are herbivores and like to chew on grasses, herbs and shrubs.

Besides humans and wild dogs called dingoes, kangaroos face few natural predators. Heat, drought and hunger due to vanishing habitat are amongst the dangers these amazing marsupials face. While you wait for it to be checked and approved why not to add a pre-selected message and a cool badge.

Humans have long used kangaroos for food, clothing, and some types of shelter. Due to their increasing numbers, kangaroos can be viewed as pests, particularly by farmers when kangaroos compete for grazing land. Kangaroos are often present in grasslands and areas that are typical farmland so resource competition may take place.

Kangaroos are not typically aggressive when grazing. The situation of farmers seeing kangaroos as pests is similar to how many in the United States may see deer as pests.

Actively scan device characteristics for identification. Use precise geolocation data. Select personalised content. Create a personalised content profile. Measure ad performance. Select basic ads. Create a personalised ads profile. Select personalised ads. Apply market research to generate audience insights. Measure content performance. Develop and improve products.

List of Partners vendors. Share Flipboard Email. Table of Contents Expand. Habitat and Distribution. Diet and Behavior. Reproduction and Offspring. Conservation Status. Kangaroos and Humans. Regina Bailey. Biology Expert. Regina Bailey is a board-certified registered nurse, science writer and educator. Updated December 13, Featured Video. Cite this Article Format. Bailey, Regina. Kangaroo: Habitat, Behavior, and Diet.

Rattlesnakes: Habitats, Behavior, and Diet.