Kangaroo Movement

Excellent eyesight, a good sense of smell and large, flexible ears, enable the kangaroo to quickly detect approaching danger. An alarmed kangaroo thumps the ground with its hind legs, rather like a rabbit does, to warn the rest of the mob.

When feeding and moving slowly, kangaroos balance themselves on their small front legs and strong tail, swinging the large hindlegs forward. They then bring their arms and tail up to complete the second stage of the movement.

If necessary, the grey kangaroo can travel fast, bounding along using only the two hindfeet with the tail held almost horizontally for balance. In this way, the kangaroo can leap over obstacles, and the length of a jump can be as much as 13.5 metres!