Kangaroos are in the family of marsupials. The scientist name for a kangaroo is macropodidae. The part macro is Greek for long foot. They are the second biggest group in marsupials with 54 species. These animals do not walk on four legs or fly they hop like a frog but they hop on their back legs their back legs are very strong, strong enough to hold their own weight. Their legs also have an extra toe to scratch and jump and push. They have a tail that can grow up to 4 feet long if they are a red or grey kangaroo. Kangaroos can weigh up to 50 to 70 pounds for a female 180 to 200 pound for a male for a joeys they weigh up to 4 to 6 pounds and for a new born they weigh less than a lump of sugar.          These animals can run 30 miles per hour and leap 30 feet. Their natural predator is a dingo a dingo is a wild Australian dog. Macropodidae are herbivores they eat grass, roots and shrubs. They live in central, eastern, northern, and southern Australia. They like to live in dry and rocky places with hills some of them even live in the forest. The Macropodidae species may seem different but they are alike with small heads , point noses and pointy ears that stick straight up .And that is my report on Macropodidae.         

Author: Alene R
Published: 01/2012