Why Do Kangaroos Hop?

I have decided to use Google autocomplete to generate some initial topic ideas for this blog by typing the word ‘why’ and the name of an animal into the search bar. For my first one I chose ‘why kangaroo’ and the top suggested question was ‘Why do kangaroos hop’ so here it goes.

Kangaroos hop because it is a really efficient way to get around in a hot environment like Australia. Hopping allows kangaroos to travel large distances in hot, dry conditions while expending relatively little energy. This is really important for animals that sometimes need to go for long periods without much food or water.

The reason that hopping uses less energy than running is because the hind limbs of kangaroos have large muscles attached to elastic tendons that act like a giant spring which compresses with each hop and propels the kangaroo forward. This means that as the distance of each hop increases, so does the energy that is harnessed in their muscles and tendons each time the kangaroo touches down. As a result the travelling speed of the kangaroo increases without it needing to expend additional energy to increase the hopping frequency.

At lower speeds, two legged hopping becomes less efficient so kangaroos alter their method of moving around. When kangaroos graze or move slowly, they get around by balancing on their tail, and alternating between their front and hind limbs.

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