Name: ______________________________

World's Largest Marsupial

By Guy Belleranti
What Australian mammal can leap 25 feet
in one hop and move for short periods at 35 miles
an hour? The red kangaroo. A full gron male
stands as tall as a si! foot person and eighs 2""
pounds. This is slightl# $igger than the gre#
kangaroo% making it the orld&s largest marsupial.
What&s a marsupial? A mammal here the
mother has a pouch for carr#ing% feeding and
protecting her #oung.
While a red kangaroo ma# $e the largest marsupial% the ne$orn $a$# is tin#% under an inch
long. After a fe months of sleeping% nursing and groing in mom&s stomach pouch the #oung
kangaroo '(oe#) $egins to come out. *ut it hurries $ack to the pouch fast hen frightened% hungr# or
cold. +ventuall#% the (oe# gets so $ig it hangs out of the pouch. Then% at eight months old% it sta#s out.
*ut the (oe# remains close to mom until read# to live on its on.
,ed kangaroos are good simmers. -oever% the# are $est knon for their hopping a$ilities.
Their long% poerful hind legs have $ig feet. -opping moves them .uickl# over their grass#% shru$$#
and desert ha$itats. /eanhile% a thick tail helps them $alance and steer.
What do red kangaroos eat? 0rass% leaves and other vegetation. And guess hat 1 the# often
regurgitate food and che their cud (ust like a co.
The red kangaroo&s vegetarian diet provides much of its ater. 2t can also go long periods
ithout drinking. 3ta#ing in the shade% panting and limiting most activit# to nighttime helps the red
kangaroo conserve ater and sta# cool.
,ed kangaroos travel together in groups called mo$s. /o$s include $oth males and females%
ith one male $eing dominant.
/ales sho their dominance $# 4$o!ing5 ith other males. The# $alance on their tails and tr#
pushing each other off $alance ith their forearms or $# kicking their hind legs. This kicking a$ilit#%
along ith their sharp clas% can also $e used $# kangaroos to defend against Australia&s ild dog%
the dingo.
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Name: ______________________________
World's Largest Marsupial
By Guy Belleranti
1. Red kangaroos are...
a. omnivores
b. carnivores
c. herbivores
d. insectivores
Explain why you chose the answer above.
__________________________________________________
__________________________________________________
2. Complete the graphic organizer.
3. When does a baby kangaroo come out of its mothers pouch for the first time!
a. about a month after it is born
b. a few months after it is born
c. about " months after it is born
d. when it is a year old
4. # group of kangaroos is called a ________________________.
5. # baby kangaroo is called a ________________________.
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Name: ______________________________
World's Largest Marsupial
By Guy Belleranti
The scram$led ords $elo are voca$ular# ords from the
article. 6nscram$le each ord and rite it on the line. 7lease
$e sure each ord is spelled correctl#.
1. ____________________________ n o d i g
hint: t#pe of ild dog in Australia
2. ____________________________ l p a e
hint: long% high (ump
3. ____________________________ o n a t i v e g e t
hint: plants
4. ____________________________ i g p t a n n
hint: $reathing heavil# to cool off
5. ____________________________ d r t e e s
hint: place that is dr# most of the time
6. ____________________________ a n d c e o m i n
hint: poer over others8 controlling
7. ____________________________ p m i s u a l a r
hint: t#pe of mammal in hich the mother has a pouch
for carr#ing her #oung
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ANSWER KEY
World's Largest Marsupial
By Guy Belleranti
1. Red kangaroos are...
a. omnivores
b. carnivores
c. herbivores
d. insectivores
Explain why you chose the answer above.
Herbivores, like the red kangaroo, eat only plant life.
2. Complete the graphic organizer.
3. When does a baby kangaroo come out of its mothers pouch for the first time! b
a. about a month after it is born
b. a few months after it is born
c. about " months after it is born
d. when it is a year old
4. # group of kangaroos is called a mob.
5. # baby kangaroo is called a joey.
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ANSWER KEY
World's Largest Marsupial
By Guy Belleranti
The scram$led ords $elo are voca$ular# ords from the
article. 6nscram$le each ord and rite it on the line. 7lease
$e sure each ord is spelled correctl#.
1. din! n o d i g
hint: t#pe of ild dog in Australia
2. lea" l p a e
hint: long% high (ump
3. #eetati!n o n a t i v e g e t
hint: plants
4. "antin i g p t a n n
hint: $reathing heavil# to cool off
5. de$ert d r t e e s
hint: place that is dr# most of the time
6. d!%inan&e a n d c e o m i n
hint: poer over others8 controlling
7. %ar$u"ial p m i s u a l a r
hint: t#pe of mammal in hich the mother has a pouch
for carr#ing her #oung
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