Kangaroos are the world's largest marsupials. They are Australia's most famous animals!

Kangaroos live in groups called 'mobs'. One strong male usually leads the mob. 

Kangaroos are not endangered. In fact, there may be more kangaroos than people in Australia! There are about 40-50 million kangaroos! Kangaroos are sometimes hunted for their fur and meat. Predators include dingos and foxes but most kangaroos are too big for animals to be a great danger. Their biggest threats are drought, heat and hunger.

marsupial: animals whose babies are carried in a pouch

predators: animals that eat others for food

threat: danger

drought: when there is no water

Kangaroos have powerful hind legs, large feet and powerful tails. They use their legs to hop around. They can hop up to 30 feet in just one jump!

They often use their thick tails as a third leg when hopping. And when they fight other kangaroos, they balance on their tails and kick with both feet. 

They are large animals, between 3-7 feet (1-2m) tall and weigh 50-200 pounds (22-91kg). That means that the largest, male red kangaroos, are about as big as a large man.

Kangaroos are marsupials. Females have a pouch on their tummy to hold their babies. The pouch is used to protect the babies, to keep them warm and help them grow. Also, babies drink their mother's milk inside the pouch. 

Kangaroos live 8-23 years.

hind: back

pouch: pocket

There are 4 types of kangaroos. Kangaroos live in Australia, Tasmania and some nearby islands.

They can live in lots of different habitats such as forest, plains, and savannas. 

plains: grassland with no trees

savannas: grassland with some trees, but not many

Kangaroos are herbivores. They eat mostly grasses, flowers and small plants. Some may also eat fungi (mushrooms).

Like cows, kangaroos may chew their food, then regurgitate it - bring it back up - and chew it  again. 

Kangaroos can go for a long time without water. They get most of the water they need from the plants they eat. Also, they are almost always resting during the day when it is very hot. 

regurgitate: vomit, bring food back up into the mouth

Baby kangaroos are called joeys. Newborn joes are only 1 inch (2.5 cm) long. That's about the size of a grape! When they are born, they travel through their mum's thick fur and into her pouch where they will continue growing for the next 4 months. After that, they can come out of the pouch and start to eat grass and plants with their mum. At 10 months, they can leave the pouch for good.

fur: hair

pouch: a pocket