[originaltext] Australia is the home of the kangaroo. In most parts of the w

Australia is the home of the kangaroo. In most parts of the world, a person must go to a zoo to see a kangaroo. In Australia, kangaroos move about in freedom in the forests and on the plains. Long ago, kangaroos were giants. They were almost ten feet tall. Today, kangaroos are about the size of a man. They are five to six feet tall and weigh about 150 pounds. Kangaroos stand on their large hind legs. They use these hind legs for jumping and, if necessary, for fighting. Close to the kangaroo’s body are small front legs. These are for finding and holding food.
    Kangaroos live in herds of twelve or more. Some herds have more than fifty kangaroos. A herd has no fixed home, it moves from place to place, searching for food. If something frightens the herd, the kangaroos jump away all at once. Kangaroos can jump twenty-five feet or more and they can move twenty-five miles per hour. A baby kangaroo lives inside its mother for only 30 to 40 days.