Kangaroo
Behavioural adaptations
- Adaptation to temperature change:
Kangaroos lick its paws for evaporation, this keeps the kangaroo cool on hot days.
- Kangaroos are more active in the cooler hours; early morning and late afternoon. During the heat of the day, kangaroos relax, lie around and look after their young. This prevents the animals from getting too hot.
- Male kangaroos will fight each other for dominance in the group. Females will only mate with the dominant male. This is important so the species can carry on to the next generation.
Kangaroos lick its paws for evaporation, this keeps the kangaroo cool on hot days.
- Kangaroos are more active in the cooler hours; early morning and late afternoon. During the heat of the day, kangaroos relax, lie around and look after their young. This prevents the animals from getting too hot.
- Male kangaroos will fight each other for dominance in the group. Females will only mate with the dominant male. This is important so the species can carry on to the next generation.
Physiological adaptations
- Kangaroos control body heat through cooling techniques; such as panting, sweating and licking.
- The kangaroos fur is used as an insulator, to keep body warm.
- Kangaroos shiver to help produce heat.
Structural adaptation
- Kangaroos have long, strong tails for balancing.
- Kangaroos have large, strong tendons in their back legs which act as springs. When they bounce, it requires less energy then running does, so they are able to travel longer distances than other mammals.
- Small incisors for getting small leaves from stems and large molars for grinding down stems and leaves.