Macropus
giganteus
HOPPING -
ENERGY EFFICIENT LOCOMOTION
Kangaroos
use all four limbs and their tail when moving slowly, however when they want to
go faster, they get up on their back legs and hop- At moderate speeds hopping
IS more efficient
Studies
show that kangaroos expend less energy hopping at speeds of 20 km/h or faster,
than at 6 m . m
efficient
than quadrapedal - four legged - running. How is this so? _
Forester
kangaroos, have long stretchy Achilles tendons and calf muscles in their legs,
in which they can store the elastic energy from landing
and use it
to make the next hop - much like a spring. ‘
To increase
their speed, kangaroos lengthen their stride rather than increase the frequency
of the hopping, spending more time in the air and
less time
in contact with the ground.
THE NEXT
GENERATION
Breeding
occurs throughout the year and competition between males for a
female's
attention may occasionally lead to fighting. Births occur all year round
with a peak
in summer. Gestation is 36 days. Usually a single young is born.
Climbing to
the pouch it attaches to one of four nipples. It will remain in the
pouch for
11 months and be fully weaned by 18 months. The female may mate
whilst she
has young in the pouch - the development of the fertilised egg being
suspended
until the pouch is vacated.
In many
parts of Australia, Forester kangaroos have been persecuted because
they are
thought to compete with domestic stock. Combined with removal of
essential
forest and woodland refuges, through land clearance, means that in
some areas
local populations have diminished.
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