Facts About Kangaroo Muscles That Everyone Should Know!

Spotting a ripped kangaroo is not an uncommon thing.

Kangaroos are marsupials that belong to the Animalia kingdom and the Macropodidae family. There are four kangaroo species in the world, namely the red kangaroo, the antilopine kangaroo, the eastern grey kangaroo, and the western grey kangaroo.

Kangaroos are native to New Guinea and Australia and are closely related to wallabies. The name kangaroo is derived from the word 'gangurru' which is a word from the Guugu Yimithirr, an Australian language. Kangaroos can hop at a speed of 43 mph (70 kph).

The diet of these herbivores can differ depending on the species. Grass, leaves, ferns, flowers, fruit, and moss are some of the items on their diet. A kangaroo is also called a roo.

A baby kangaroo is called a 'joey'. A group of kangaroos is referred to as a mob or troupe. Each group has 10 or more members. They form groups to mainly escape predators like dingoes, foxes, wedge-tailed eagles, feral cats, feral dogs, and humans.

A roo will also swim to avoid life-threatening situations. We have curated a bunch of interesting facts about the kangaroo. Do not miss out on them!

You can also check out our other articles on kangaroo skeletons and how high can a kangaroo jump here at Kidadl.

Are kangaroos really muscular?

Kangaroos are buff animals. In fact, they are the largest hopping animals in the world.

Some male kangaroos can even weigh up to 200 lb (90 kgs) out of which over 50% of the weight comes from their muscles. Male roos are much stronger and larger than female kangaroos.

Did you know? The strongest and most muscular kangaroo, Roger was a red kangaroo that lived in a kangaroo sanctuary in Alice Springs, Australia. Roger's mother died in a road accident, after which he was rescued and taken to the kangaroo sanctuary in Alice Springs.

He was raised by hand by Barns. This kangaroo was powerful enough to crush metals. Roger's popularity grew after a video of him crushing a metal went viral on various social media platforms.

Roger's muscles were much similar to that of humans. He was an alpha male for several years. He died when he was 12 years old in 2018 in the kangaroo sanctuary at Alice springs.

How strong is a kangaroo kick?

The kick of a kangaroo has been studied for several years. Kangaroos kick each other when they fight.

They have several positions based on which the force will vary. Experts, after studying the various combat techniques, have discovered that a kangaroo's kick could deliver 9,000 newtons.

A small, sharp kick will deliver up to 3,300 newtons. The force of these kicks is powerful enough to shatter the ribs of a human being.

According to Ian Temby, who has spent 33 years with the Department of Environment, Land, Water, and Planning, though kangaroo attacks are rare, they can be life-threatening. A kick from the kangaroos' hind legs can pretty much rip open a human being.

How many bones does a kangaroo have in its tail?

The kangaroo's tail muscles are efficient structures that are significantly bigger than the front limbs.

Their tails have a high aerobic capacity as they are rich in mitochondria. The kangaroo's tail looks like it is made of one lengthy bone. But in reality, it is made up of 20 caudal vertebrae.

How do kangaroos get their muscles?

Unlike other animals, kangaroos are not born with muscles. They are underdeveloped when they are born.

Hence, joeys stay in their mother's pouch. As they grow at around six months, they have well-developed muscles other body parts and they leave their mother's pouch and start hopping on each foot. Baby kangaroos are known as joeys. Their muscles become firm and well-developed as they begin hopping.

How do kangaroos get so muscly?

There are a few factors that contribute to the muscular appearance of kangaroos. They are genetics and hopping.

Just like how human beings hit the gym to tone their muscles, the natural method of locomotion in kangaroos, hopping, tones their muscles. Though kangaroos spend almost no energy while they hop, unlike humans, their overall body weight is pressed downwards on each foot and released each time they jump or hop.

They hop multiple times a day, which can vary depending on the distance they cover. This automatically builds the muscles around their legs and tail, making them look bigger and bulkier.

Conserving Kangaroos

Kangaroos are not extinct. Though the four major species are not endangered, their populations seem to be decreasing.

Other breeds, like tree kangaroos, are Critically Endangered. The main reason for this is habitat loss.

Though most of the reasons are natural and are not induced by humans, humans also partake in certain activities like hunting and commercial purposes. In Australia, around 90 million kangaroos have been killed in the past 20 years for commercial purposes. Kangaroos are used for their meat and pelt.

Kangaroos are also used as game animals. If the situation persists, kangaroos will go extinct in a few years. Kangaroos are an integral part of the food chain.

They promote the regeneration of native plants and also help in controlling the population of insects and pests. This is why we must conserve and protect kangaroos.

Did you know?

Male red kangaroos have the natural instinct to kickbox, and they are muscular as well. A kangaroo will kickbox with other males and fight for the alpha male position throughout its life.

When kangaroos spot a potential threat, they immediately jump into a waterbed.

Ever seen a kangaroo flexing muscles? There was indeed a very muscular kangaroo named Roger, who went viral on social media because of his muscles.

Both male and female kangaroos participate in hand-to-hand combat. However, males are more aggressive and their fights can last longer than those of females.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for kangaroo muscles, then why not take a look at inside kangaroo pouch, or kangaroo facts?