Science with Dr. Egghead: What’s Hopping

by Leah Carpenter

In the hustle and bustle of school and learning, we can find some fun…with science.

Pokemon Go users search for a Kangaskhan all over the country. If you look at the closest zoo, you could find the origin of the creature.

The creators of Pokemon based the Kangaskhan from the kangaroo according to the Fact Site. The Fact Site is a website which allows users to discover facts on a multitude of topics.

With 47 different species of kangaroos, the creators had a wide selection from which to choose.

Kangaroos do not originate from just Australia, but from New Guinea as well. They are, however, the national symbol for Australia.

A marsupial, which is a female kangaroo, it has the ability to have three babies at one time. The babies or joeys that are born will take approximately of 10 months to leave the mother’s pouch. Once out of the pouch, it could live up to six years in the wild.

With their amazing tails, kangaroos can jump over three times their height. Although the tail is strong and powerful enough to go swimming, it cannot jump backwards.

The Fun Fact Site says that if you lift the tail of a kangaroo it cannot jump. The tail gives a kangaroo balance to jump.

Though they can hop everywhere, they cannot walk normally, according to Defenders od Wildlife.

The website, Defenders of Wildlife, is a site which post facts of animals and drives donations for animals. It is intended to spend awareness of species and how they function.

Kangaroos travel in groups called mobs and are dominated by the largest male. The environments they live in can range from the forest to woodland areas, to grassy plains.

The diet of a kangaroo consist sof grassy foods, making them herbivores. Unlike most mammals, a kangaroo can live long periods of time with no water.

In Australia the kangaroo is a nationally loved animal. It is the animal for the country.

The Australians honor the kanagroos in a different way than most. They use the tail to make a soup, which is nationally loved.

Who says? Dr. Egghead, a science expert. What will we discover next? Find out next week.