Date : January 8, 2023
Become Bush Detectives These School Holidays
These school holidays, get out and about in nature by helping your kids become bush detectives – use animal prints and scats to get up close and personal with one of our most beloved native animals, the kangaroo! These animals are so interesting and unique, and taking your kids out to spot them will help them gain knowledge about the local environment, and why these beautiful creatures are so important to the local ecosystem.
Find out more about how you and your family can become kangaroo enthusiasts these school holidays!
A few facts about kangaroos!
Kangaroos are one of the most interesting and beautiful animals on earth, and it’s hard to think of another animal more representative of its country of origin. Australia’s isolation has meant that so many unique and fascinating animals have evolved here over millions of years. Kangaroos are no different, having made Australia their home for over 20 million years.
There are several different species of kangaroo, most notably the red kangaroo, the eastern grey kangaroo, and the western grey kangaroo. By weight, the red kangaroos are the largest, with males reaching a whopping 92 kilos. Interestingly, kangaroos are left-handed, using their left paw to groom themselves and eat about 95% of the time.
Kangaroos live in groups with loose family ties called mobs, which can be made up of several dozen individuals. They are quite fast when they hop, getting up to speeds of 70 kilometres an hour. When threatened by a predator, kangaroos often flee towards water, since they’re excellent swimmers.
Where is the best place to look for kangaroos?
Kangaroos live in a wide variety of places all over Australia. You can see them in rainforests, the beach, dry arid areas, or in grassy plains. Closer to cities, kangaroos generally prefer flat, grassy landscapes with a reasonable amount of shade nearby, which makes golf courses an absolutely perfect habitat for them. Try empty grassy paddocks, beaches in small coastal towns, or the edges of eucalypt forest.
How can I tell that a kangaroo has visited?
Like all animals, kangaroos often leave evidence that they’ve visited or lived in a place. Keep an eye out for scats (poo) and tracks (footprints). Kangaroo prints are quite unique, so they should be easy to spot. Their slow walking gait will show all five digits on the front foot, side by side with the elongated hind feet prints, often with a thick straight line for the tail mark.
Kangaroos use the elongated middle toe on their hind foot to clean their fur, so that should be obvious in the tracks they leave behind.
As for the scat, it is usually shaped like little balls about 3 centimetres across. You will probably see it in little piles. It’s black on the outside, and yellow-green on the inside, because of the grass they eat.
What is the best time to go out to look for kangaroos?
Despite the general consensus, kangaroos are not really nocturnal. While they are more active at night, they can also be active during the day, particularly during the cooler months. Head out in the early morning around dawn or check during dusk. You’re most likely to see kangaroos grazing or socialising at this time.
For more fantastic school holiday activities, check out May Gibbs!
Librarian Bec
Right now, Librarian Bec’s hard at work at your local library, sharing a passion for reading with little people and big. Bec writes about inspiring little readers and embracing lovely literature.
