Kangaroo

Macropus rufus

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Macropus giganteus

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Macropus fuliginosus

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A kangaroo is any of several large macropods (the marsupial family that also includes the wallabies, tree kangaroos, wallaroos, pademelons and the quokka: 45 species in all). The term kangaroo is sometimes used in a broader sense to refer to all members of the macropod family. Kangaroos are native to the continent of Australia, while a number of tree kangaroos are found in New Guinea.

Related Topics:
Macropod - Marsupial - Family - Wallabies - Tree kangaroo - Wallaroo - Pademelon - Quokka - Continent - Australia - New Guinea

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The word kangaroo is said to derive from the Guugu Yimidhirr (an Australian Aboriginal language) word gangurru, referring to the Grey Kangaroo (see photo to the right). The name was first recorded as kangaru by Joseph Banks on James Cook's first voyage of exploration, when they were beached at the mouth of the Endeavour River in the harbour of modern Cooktown for almost 7 weeks repairing their ship which had been damaged on the Great Barrier Reef.

Related Topics:
Guugu Yimidhirr - Australian Aboriginal - Language - Joseph Banks - James Cook - Cooktown - Great Barrier Reef

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Kangaroo soon became adopted into standard English where it has come to mean any member of the family of kangaroos and wallabies. The belief that it means "I don't understand" is a popular myth that is also applied to any number of other Aboriginal-sounding Australian words. Male kangaroos are called bucks, boomers or jacks; females are does, flyers, or jills and the young are joeys. The collective noun for kangaroos is a mob.

Related Topics:
Myth - Joeys - Collective noun

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