Aussie Kangaroos

The kangaroo has been part of Australia’s identity and the most recognizable cultural symbol. It appears in the Australian coat of arms together with an emu. This Australian marsupial from the macropod or large foot family is also featured in coins, bank notes, and logos. Kangaroos are everywhere in Australia, from restaurants to government offices and TV shows to sports. They’re ubiquitous. With strong hind legs and oversized feet biologically designed for leaping, kangaroos are endemic or native to Australia. They can travel over 48 kilometres per hour. On a single jump, a roo can hop up to 9 meters using its tail to balance as it springs. Most of them live in the outback of eastern Australia. The population of Aussie kangaroos has boomed in recent years due to regular rainfall. The abundance of food in the grasslands has contributed to the rise of their number. As of 2016, the Australian government recorded an estimated 45 million marsupials outnumbering their human counterparts by two to one. The government has encouraged the hunting of wild kangaroos for food, making humans the kangaroos’ ferocious predators. Kidding aside, a male kangaroo can measure up to six-foot-seven in height, weighing 90 kilograms (200 lb). The smallest of the marsupials is the dwarf wallaby, measuring 46 centimetres long and 1.6 kilograms in weight. Between the sizes of a kangaroo and a wallaby is the wallaroo, an intermediate-sized marsupial. On the far northeastern part of Queensland are the medium-sized tree kangaroos. As long as you’re in Australia, you cannot miss seeing your Aussie furry favourites. If you travel to the outback, mobs of jacks and jills with their joeys are a common sight. Some boomers would box not for your entertainment but for asserting dominance over the other. When you want to try boxing a jack, watch out for its hind legs that can hit you with a powerful kick. Better yet, grab a bite instead of being bitten. If you’re not a vegan and would like to explore Australia’s exotic taste, visit a restaurant that serves kangaroo steak and a refreshing glass of red wine. Aussie kangaroos are fun, but they can be dangerous, too. Just be careful when you see one, and the safer way is to go to a wildlife park to take photos of and hand-feed a roo.