Order a copy of the new manual
|
- Kangaroos can swim
-
- If persued by a dog, it is not uncommon for a kangaroo to hop into a dam,
grab the dog, hold it under the water and drown it. Agile wallabies swim quite a distance from
Stradbroke Island to the mainland of Queensland.
At the same token, kangaroos can also drown if they have been chased by a predator and seek the
water to cool themselves down. The increased adrenalin flow and rapid heart rate invariably causes a heart attack.
- Hopping is the most economical energy expenditure compared to other modes
of mobilization for two reasons.
- Energy can be stored for re-use in elastic fibrous tissues such as the kangaroo Achilles tendon.
The tendons located in the legs, lower back and tail all contribute to the very high level of
energy conservation in hopping kangaroos.
- When hopping at a moderate speed, the lungs of the macropod act as a respiratory booster in that
as the animal hops, the lungs are forced upwards then on landing they are forced downwards.
This action aids in respiration-inhalation of oxygen and exhalation of oxygen and carbon dioxide.
-
The markings on a Red Kangaroos' face is different from any other Red Kangaroo.
-
The series of black blotches and white stripes is totally unique to each individual much
like the individual markings of a zebra.
-
The major differences regarding the Eastern and Western Grey Kangaroos are
-
- The Eastern Grey practices embryonic diapause whereas the Western Grey does not.
- The fur on the Western Grey's ears is very sparse with the black skin being most
obvious, whereas the Eastern Grey's ears are fully furred.
- The Western Grey has a prominent strip of white fur running along the edge of its
jaw-line and the chest fur is very white against its coppery colouring. The Eastern
Grey does not have obvious markings and its creamy-white fur is less conspicuous against
its more grey colouring.
- Western Grey kangaroos can be found to be almost black or a mix of black and coppery brown.
They may even have white or black splotches of fur on their foreheads whereas Eastern Greys
are predominantly the same colour in each region and do not have different individual markings
-
The Red Kangaroo is the largest macropod
-
Whilst other species may have a similar bulk and weight as a Red Kangaroo, the tibia (leg bone)
of the Red Kangaroo is the longest.
-
The smallest Australian marsupial is the Long-tailed Planigale
-
It weighs only 4 gram ( 0.4 oz) and measures 12 cm (4.5inches) from the tip of its nose to the
end of its tail. Its tail alone measures half its length of 6 cms. (2.25 inches).
Back to top
|
