What are some physical adaptations of a kangaroo?

Answer 1

Adaptations of the Kangaroo paw, a plant best suited to dry conditions, include:

• tiny, woolly hairs on the flowers, which hold onto water droplets, and which make the flower taste unpleasant to animals that would eat it
• the plant is adapted to dry conditions, requiring less water than other plants, and can tolerate high heat
• a strong stem for would-be pollinators to perch upon
• the flowers are deep and bell-like and insects which feed on the nectar contained in the flowers unknowingly carry the pollen around on their heads to fertilise the other plants as they feed

Answer 2

Kangaroos are uniquely adapted to life in Australia, a country that suffers frequent droughts.

• The mother kangaroo spends most of her adult life pregnant, but in drought times, she has the ability to indefinitely "freeze" the development of the young embryo until food sources are replenished.
• The mother can also produce two different types of milk to suit the needs of two different aged joeys. She might have a more mature joey that spends less time in the pouch, while a very young embryo has attached itself to a teat. Each joey has different milk requirements - which the mother is able to supply.
• Kangaroos are able to travel long distances at a high speed, expending very little energy. They are very energy-efficient, and this is linked directly to the physical action of bringing their hind legs up with each hop. Every hop literally refills the lungs.
• Kangaroos have large, strong tendons in their hind legs which act as "springs". The springing motion requires less energy than running does, so kangaroos are able to bound for longer distances than other mammals with the standard four legs can run. They have strong back legs and elongated hind feet for bounding.
• Kangaroos are strong swimmers. Many parts of Australia are subject to seasonal flooding rains, but the kangaroo's body shape does not prohibit it from swimming. In fact, kangaroos have been observed swimming to offshore islands off the southern coast. This is the only time the kangaroo's hind legs move independently of each other.
• The teeth of the kangaroo are continuously being worn down by the tough grasses they eat. Instead of continuously growing, once a kangaroo's front teeth are worn down completely, they fall out, and the back teeth move forwards to take the place of the worn front teeth. Kangaroos have four such pairs of chewing teeth.
• Kangaroos have the ability to hear very well: kangaroos can twitch their ears independently around to determine the direction of specific sounds, much as a cat does
• They have long, strong tails for balancing.
• In hot weather, kangaroos use saliva to cool down, licking their forearms where there is little muscle tissue and blood veins run close to the surface. When the saliva evaporates from the fur, it cools down the kangaroo.

These adaptations are the same for most species of kangaroos, including Red Kangaroos, Grey Kangaroos, wallaroos and wallabies.

Answer 3

Adaptations of the Kangaroo paw, a plant best suited to dry conditions, include:

• tiny, woolly hairs on the flowers, which hold onto water droplets, and which make the flower taste unpleasant to animals that would eat it
• the plant is adapted to dry conditions, requiring less water than other plants, and can tolerate high heat
• a strong stem for would-be pollinators to perch upon
• the flowers are deep and bell-like and insects which feed on the nectar contained in the flowers unknowingly carry the pollen around on their heads to fertilise the other plants as they feed