The term ‘kangaroo’ is derived from the Aboriginal Australian language, Guugu Yimihirr, where the animal is referred to as a gangurru. Captain James Cook and his crew, upon first seeing a joey peeking out from its mother’s pouch, mistakenly believed kangaroos were two-headed creatures. Nowadays, we have a deeper understanding of these remarkable jumpers, and even designate them specific monikers – infant kangaroos are recognized as joeys, adult males as boomers, and adult females as flyers. Exclusively found in Australia, Tasmania, and Papua New Guinea, the kangaroo has become such a recognized emblem of Australia that it features on its currency, commercial goods, and even the Royal Australian Air Force.
These are truly fascinating and bizarre animals and, in this list, we dig into some of the strangest kangaroo facts you could imagine – or couldn’t. Some of these facts are so bizarre they seem as though they began in an eight-year-old’s imagination. (For instance, once a female reaches sexual maturity, she will almost always be pregnant, holding one embryo in her uterus, a fetus in her pouch, and a growing joey outside of the pouch.) Though there are many different kinds of kangaroos (see #12), in this list, we focus on the larger, more well-known kangaroos seen on most nature documentaries and Aussie kids’ coloring books. Be prepared to be shocked and amazed by this list of 25 Outrageous Kangaroo Facts To Keep Your Mind Hopping.