HOW K ANGAROOS BOUNCE
These marsupial mammals spring effortlessly across the Australian continent using specially adapted limbs
WORDS AILSA HARVEY
Kangaroos live in family groups called mobs
A kangaroo’s posture and hopping movements are instantly recognisable. They have short arms hanging high on their chest and a thick tail that serves as an extra limb for standing and walking. But what they lack in arm length they make up for in their substantial feet and elongated back legs. Kangaroos can reach hopping speeds of over 30 miles per hour and have hearts twice as big as other mammals their size to provide them with high-speed endurance.