Charlene aged 9. of Derby. Co1o.
How fast can a kangaroo run?
The biggest of the kangaroos can outrun a pack of fox hounds. In Australia. his native home. special dogs are used to hunt him. He can keep a up a steady pace of over 20 miles an: hour for hours; at a. time. He leads the pack a long chase. dodging and swimming when necessary.
This big fellow is called Boomer or‑ Old. Man Kangaroo. He stands from five to seven feet tall. and may weigh 200 pounds. His hopping is done with his powerful legs. Taking his time. he strolls along in hops at 15 to 18 miles an: hour. The leaps for this kind of speed are; from five to ten feet long.
When in trouble. Boomer can also leap high. He has been known to clear timber ten and half feet high. This record leap: covered a length of 20 feet. Mrs Kangaroo is smaller than her husband. She is not so fast and her leaps are shorter. She does her fastest traveling when her Junior‑is threatened.