Natural Fighters: Red Kangaroo

Red Kangaroos can grow nearly 6.5 feet tall, and weigh up to 200 pounds. They are the largest, living pouched mammal. Females are smaller in size and aren't red but a bluish-gray color. The most dominant male in the mob is called a boomer. Mobs usually have at least 10 family members. The boomer only enjoys his reign, as first in line for mating with the females, and bullying the younger males, for about a year, then he is muscled out.

Kangaroos take on different coloring in separate regions of Australia. In the 'Red Center' of Australia, 186,000 square miles of rust colored sand, the male kangaroos are usually a shade of pale to brick red, to match their surroundings. One unique habit of the Red Kangaroo is they lie down stretched out on their back, usually with their giant feet in the air.

Red kangaroos can't walk but get around by hopping. Their tail, which measures up to 42 inches long, helps them jump. They can travel 29 feet in distance and six feet high in one leap. On the move, they hit speeds of 40 mph, making them one of the fastest mammals.

Scientists have studied the hopping behavior and found it is used to save energy. Animals that run require increasing amounts of energy as their speed increases. With kangaroos, it takes less energy to continue jumping once they get moving. Female red kangaroos called 'blue flier' are the fastest hoppers. Kangaroos have a tendon in their leg which acts as a rubber band, conserving energy when each hop lands.

Australia is home to some of the oldest landscapes on Earth. Animals are isolated here, away from the frantic pace of evolutionary changes happening elsewhere on the planet. You will find animals here- found no where else on Earth. Long ago, Australia's mountain ranges stood taller than the Himalayas and its interior was an age old rain forest.

Fossil records show the first kangaroo appeared in Australia about 15 million years ago. As a result of climate changes, Australia's rain forest became open woodlands, around 8 million years ago. The now extinct, Giant Kangaroos, stood up to 10 feet high and weighed 440 lbs. The lush vegetation of their ancestor's home is dry, open plains today.

Red kangaroos forage and are found most often awake, during the night to escape day time temperatures reaching 104 degrees. The average annual rainfall in Australia is only 6.5 inches according to www.alldownunder.com . The Red kangaroo has adapted to these extreme weather conditions by being able to survive long periods without water. They have also learned where and how to dig their own water holes. Kangaroos in the wild don't usually live past six years old.

The Red Kangaroo has long been considered a nuisance by man because of competition over land use and are now classified, 'disappearing from Earth'. Red kangaroos are harvested for their lean red meat, and the skin is used in leather goods. They are natural kick boxers with their massive feet, and strong hind legs but will choose flight over fight if given the opportunity.

Sources:

www.red-kangaroos.com/red-kangaroo-management.htm

www.savetheKangaroo.com

http://www.auswildlife.com/