12 Unusual Aussie
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1. Kangaroos are unusual animal.
They are marsupials.
Marsupials are a special kind of animal.
They look after their babies in an unusual way.
Most marsupials live in Australia, and the kangaroo is one of them.
2. A baby kangaroo is called a 'joey' .
When a joey is born it is tiny.
It is only 3 centimetres long.
After the joey is born it climbs into a pocket in its mother's fur.
This pocket is called a 'pouch'.
The baby drinks its mother's milk and grows bigger in the pouch.
The joey lives in its mother's pouch until it is six months old.
3. kangaroos also move in an unusual way.
They don't walk or run like other animals do.
They jump! Kangaroos have two very strong back legs.
They use them to jump.
They also have a strong tail which helps them to jump.
A big kangaroo can travel 12 metres in one jump.
Kangaroos move very quickly when they jump.
They can jump at 65 kilometres an hour.
The joey sits in its mother's pouch while its mother jumping along!
4. Summer in Australia is very hot.
During the bay, Kangaroos often sleep under a tree.
At the end of the day, when it is cool, they go to find water.
Often a group of kangaroos travel together.
They drink water a eat grass together.
5. kangaroos have big ears.
They use them to listen for people and dangerous animals.
If a kangaroo hears a noise, it stands up on its back legs and listens.
Then all the kangaroos in the group jump away very quickly.