By. Neluka
Kangaroos are animals that have powerful hind legs, a long and strong tail, and small front hind legs. They belong to the animal family Macropus, which clearly means “bigfoot.” Due to their large feet, kangaroos can leap some 30 feet in a single leap, and travel for more than 30 miles per hour.
Kangaroos are inhibited mostly in Eastern Australia and they travel in small groups called troops or herds, typically made up of 50 or more animals. If they are threatened, kangaroos may stamp on the ground with their strong feet as a warning alert.
About the female kangaroos, they carry a pouch on their belly which is constructed by a fold in their skin, to literally rock the baby kangaroos, who are called joeys. These newborn joeys are just one inch long at birth, or about the size of a grape. After birth, joeys travel with no assistance, through their mom’s thick fur to the comfort and safety of the pouch. A newborn joey usually cannot swallow, so the kangaroo mom uses her muscles to pump milk down its throat. By around 4 months, the joey comes out from the pouch for short strolls and to consume small shrubs. Finally, at 10 months, the joey is independent enough to leave the adult kangaroo for the better.
Rufus, the kangaroo, was rescued at age eight and now he is taken care of under the Patch Kangaroo sanctuary in Boston, Australia.
The specialty of Rufus is that he turned to be a very lazy kangaroo who fell in love with his couch. He felt safe there and he would spend most of his time on the couch watching tv and relaxing. Ever since, Kym and Neil, his owners had to sacrifice the couch just for the sake of their constant love towards Rufus.
On a final note, to quote Kym, “I’ve always been an animal lover and know with having the sanctuary I know what I was put on this earth to do.”