KANGAROOS: THE FACTS CREATED FOR EDUCATIONAL PURPOSES ONLY DONE BY: Kayla Hawkins Class Period 5

The Facts Kangaroos are found in Australia and Tasmania, as well as on surrounding islands. Kangaroos live in varied habitats, from forests and woodland areas to grassy plains and savannahs. Kangaroos live and travel in organized groups or "mobs," dominated by the largest male. Male kangaroos are called boomers, bucks or jacks; females are does, flyers, or jills, and the young ones are joeys. This is a picture of a red kangaroo, it appears to be observing the photographer, in return for the picture.

Easy Facts Eastern Grey Joey Western Grey Kangaroo and Joey To move at slow speeds, a kangaroo will use its tail to form a tripod with its two forelimbs. It then raises its hind feet forward, in a form of locomotion called "crawl-walking.“ Kangaroos are grazing herbivores, which means their diet consists mainly of grasses. They can survive long periods without water. Humans hunt kangaroos for their meat and hides. Also, the introduction of domestic herbivores, such as sheep, cattle and rabbits increases competition for many plants and may cause food scarcity in times of drought. Eastern Grey Joey Western Grey Kangaroo and Joey Eastern Grey Kangaroo and Joey Western Grey Kangaroo and Joey

Argument Begins Culling Kangaroos: Nessesary? It’s not for these reasons… Mobs of kangaroos can quickly damage the environment and compete with livestock for scarce food, impacting the livelihood of farmers. “After Europeans settled in Australia some 220 years ago, they chopped down millions of trees, and created much more grassland which the kangaroos have thrived on. As a result, their numbers have increased dramatically, and so in order to keep the natural balance for the environment to be sustainable (especially during a drought), their numbers have to be reduced. So actually, it’s our fault.” These are separate populations located in different areas: Eastern gray kangaroo (Macropus giganteus): 8,978,000. Western gray kangaroo (Macropus fuliginosus): 1,774,000. Red kangaroo (Macropus rufus): 8,351,000. Also, the introduction of domestic herbivores, such as sheep, cattle and rabbits increases competition for many plants and may cause food scarcity in times of drought, making them a threat to kangaroos. Therefore, debunking the other point on livestock being the ones left without food.

Conclusion Kangaroos need help. They can’t fend for themselves, they need us to speak for them and help them gain back their land for their homes. They also need help from the culling going on today, no one wants to see these marsupials dead by their hands. Save the Kangaroos.

Bibliography Drew, Ray. "AFC - Australian Wildlife." AFC - Australian Wildlife. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 May 2015. <http://www.prijatelji-zivotinja.hr/index.en.php?id=715>. "Extended Comments for Students." Extended Comments for Students. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 May 2015. <http://rossmannellcomments.edublogs.org/tag/red-kangaroo/>. Gray, David. "A Necessary Evil – the Kangaroo Cull." N.p., n.d. Web. 25 May 2015. <http://blogs.reuters.com/photographers-blog/2013/04/03/a- necessary-evil-the-kangaroo-cull/>.