HOW KANGAROOS BOUNCE.

Kangaroos are marsupial mammals that are known for their unique hopping movements. They have short arms, a thick tail, and elongated back legs that allow them to reach hopping speeds of over 30 miles per hour. Kangaroos have strong tendons in their hind legs that act as springboards, allowing them to store and release energy for their jumps. They can increase their bouncing speed without increasing the speed of their leg movements by altering the angle of takeoff. Kangaroos evolved to hop across the Australian continent in search of food as the rainforests diminished and transformed into grassy plains. Young kangaroos, called joeys, are born tiny and vulnerable and spend several months in their mother's pouch before becoming fully independent. The motion of a kangaroo hop involves bending the knees and ankles, contracting the leg muscles, and extending the legs mid-jump. Kangaroos have various anatomical adaptations that assist in their hopping, including a balancing tail, big feet, powerful hind legs, short arms, a joey pouch, fused bones in the lower legs, a light skeleton, and long fourth toes. Kangaroos are mostly active at night and early morning. [Extracted from the article]