World Kangaroo Day a reminder to protect our native Aussie icon
This October 24 is World Kangaroo Day, a day to celebrate a beloved ancient animal that needs our help. But how much do you really know about the kangaroo? Read our fun facts to find out
READING LEVEL: GREEN
They’re on our coat of arms, our coins and even the tail of our national airline – and ahead of World Kangaroo Day, Australians have been reminded that the animal that has helped define our country’s identity also needs our protection.
Celebrated this Friday 24 October, World Kangaroo Day began five years ago as a global campaign for ethical treatment of the world’s largest marsupial. The ‘roo is set to be celebrated with a range of events, including the amateur* photography competition that has drawn close to a thousand entries nationwide.
The winning shot will be announced on Friday, judged by the legendary wildlife photographer Steve Parish and with a top prize of $1000 up for grabs.
Aussie documentary filmmaker Michael McIntyre – co-founder of Kangaroos Alive, the organisation leading the campaign – urged everyone to “celebrate and honour this sacred totem* and national icon”.
“Get out where you can see them in the wild and learn about this ancient animal,” Mr McIntyre said. “It’s about learning to coexist and pushing for policies built on sustainability* and compassion.”
Among those supporting the cause was former Test cricketer Jason “Dizzy” Gillespie, who said that “beyond the symbolism* (was) an intelligent animal, deeply woven into the natural fabric of the land.”
The former fast bowler – the first Indigenous man to wear the baggy green for Australia – added that kangaroos also held deep cultural meaning for First Nations peoples.
“They feature heavily in Dreamtime stories, and their wellbeing reflects the health of our land and culture,” he said.
KANGAROO FACTS
Like many native Australian animals, kangaroos are truly a unique species. Here are some fun and interesting facts about the iconic* Aussie marsupials.
* They are the world’s largest marsupials – One kangaroo species, the red kangaroo, can grow as tall as 2m and weigh as much as 90kg
* They can’t hop backwards – Kangaroos and wallabies can only move forwards because of their large tail and hind legs, which is why they are represented on Australia’s coat of arms as a symbol of forward-moving progress
* They can leap in bounds – A kangaroo can hop as far as 8m in a single bound and can travel at speeds of up to 60 km per hour – that’s as fast as a car on a busy street
* Joeys are tiny – Baby kangaroos, or joeys, are about the size of a jelly bean when they are born. They make their own way into their mother’s pouch where they live and develop, drinking milk and growing bigger
* Kangaroos can swim – They have been known to escape from predators like dingoes by going into water, where they can use their tails to help them swim
* There are 60 species – From the 2m red kangaroo to the tiny musky rat kangaroo, there are so many different types of kangaroo out there – even tree kangaroos
* Kangaroos are 16 million years old – Kangaroos are an ancient species that have been hopping around our country for millions of years. Indigenous Australians coexisted with kangaroos for about 60,000 years. Many First Nations people saw kangaroos as sacred totems and respected sources of food
* Kangaroos are hunted – Even though they are a native animal, some species of kangaroos are culled when population numbers become high. The meat and skin from commercially hunted kangaroos are processed and sold, with the meat available for both human and pet consumption
POLL
GLOSSARY
- amateur: someone who is skilled at something but not considered professional
- sacred totem: a spiritual emblem representing someone’s connection to the natural world
- sustainability: not depleting the earth’s resources in order to maintain a healthy ecological balance
- symbolism: using symbols to represent ideas
- iconic: so famous it represents a particular culture
EXTRA READING
Giant extinct kangaroos identified
Man saves dog from kangaroo
Australia’s famous tree kangaroo becomes a dad
QUICK QUIZ
1. When did World Kangaroo Day begin?
2. What type of animal are they?
3. What do kangaroos symbolise on Australia’s coat of arms?
4. How far can they leap in a single bound?
5. How many species of kangaroos are there?
LISTEN TO THIS STORY
CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
1. Kangaroo poetry
Write an acrostic or other form of poetry using full sentences and facts about kangaroos contained in the Kids News article. Make your poem informative but also empathetic to the plight of kangaroos and their importance to our culture and history.
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Time: allow 15 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English, Science, History, Personal and Social, Critical and Creative Thinking
2. Extension
If you couldn’t walk backwards, like kangaroos can’t hop, what things might be difficult in life? Chat with a classmate close to you and try to think of at least five jobs or activities that would be hard to achieve without going backwards.
Time: allow 5 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English, Health and Physical education, Personal and Social, Critical and Creative Thinking
VCOP ACTIVITY
Creative vocabulary
Find a bland sentence from the article to up-level. Can you add more detail and description? Can you replace any ‘said’ words with more specific synonyms?
Have you outdone yourself and used some really great vocabulary throughout your writing? Firstly, well done. Secondly, let’s ensure everyone can understand it by adding a glossary of terms. Pick three of your wow words and create a glossary for each word to explain what it means.