*******kangaroo*********

1. Kangaroos are marsupials. This means that they aren't pregnant for long, and they give birth when their baby is only about 2 centimetres long. The mother kangaroo then carries her joey (baby kangaroo) in her pouch whilst the baby develops and grows.
2. Kangaroos move by hopping, using their powerful hind legs and their large tails to balance. But they can't move backwards.
3. Because they eat only plant matter, kangaroos are vegetarians.
4. According to a popular story, kangaroos got their name from a misunderstanding. When European people first moved to Australia, they asked the local people what these hopping animals were called. They answered, "Kangaroo", an Aboriginal word meaning "I don't understand".
5. Each year, Australia exports 3 million kangaroo skins to Europe and the US. Their skins are used to make products such as footballs and golf gloves. Footballer David Beckham stopped using kangaroo-leather boots in 2006 after seeing a video showing the horrific slaughter of the animals.