What is the red kangaroo's defence and offense?

Answer 1

The Red Kangaroo is the largest of the marsupials, and quite a powerful animal, well equipped to defend itself.

A Red kangaroo has a large powerful tail and hind legs, both of which help it to defend itself. It can lean back, balance on its strong tail, and kick out, using the large claws on its hind legs to defend itself. It can deliver quite a mighty kick which can kill an enemy such as a dingo.

Large kangaroos such as the Red Kangaroo have also been observed actually grasping dogs that have chased them near dams, and trying to hold them under the water. Men who have gone to the rescue of their hunting dogs have been attacked, clawed and scratched.

When it comes to defending itself from man, the kangaroo's primary recourse is to hop away. A kangaroo can maintain a steady speed over very long distances, easily outrunning other predators. A comfortable hopping speed for red kangaroos is 19 kilometres per hour (12 miles per hour), and they can maintain this speed for hours, stopping for brief rests. They can have short bursts of speed of between 55 and 70 kph (35-44mph).

Kangaroos can also escape danger by jumping high and long. In full flight, a single jump can be up to 8 metres (29 feet) long, and 1.8m (6 feet) in height.