Kangaroos are unique animals. They are marsupials, which means they have an external pouch to carry their young. Kangaroos are the largest of all marsupial mammals, and they belong to the Macropodidae family.
Male kangaroos are known as boomers or bucks. Females are called does or flyers. A baby kangaroo is called a joey. Physical features of a kangaroo vary between males and females as well as the three different breeds, some are taller or heavier than others. However, the average height ranges from three to eight feet. The average weight falls between 40 and 200 lbs.
Kangaroos have strong back legs, long feet, and clawed fourth toes. They move by hopping and use their large tails for steering. The tail is also used as a third leg if a kangaroo is standing or moving very slowly. They are unique because kangaroos are unable to walk backwards!
Kangaroos are chordates, meaning they belong in the phylum chordata. Mammals, birds, fish, amphibians and reptiles are all in the phylum chordate as well.