Why do KANGAROOS hop?

Answer 1

Hopping appears to be more energy-efficient than running or galloping. The faster kangaroos hop, the less energy they use for the same distance. When scientists put kangaroos on treadmills, they discovered that kangaroos maintain a constant number of hops per minute. Regardless of how much the treadmill speeds up, they simply take longer and longer hops.

Kangaroos function much like bouncing balls. A ball will bounce a number of times without a fresh input of energy. Every time it hits the ground, some of the energy is shifted to the rubber, stored there, then recycled in an elastic bounce. Jumping kangaroos store 70% of their energy in their tendons, compared to running humans, who can store and reuse only about 20%.

A hopping kangaroo also uses less energy to breathe than one standing still. Part of the secret lies in the way the abdominal organs ‘flop’ within the kangaroo’s body. Instead of using muscle power, air is pushed out of the lungs by the impact of the organs against the diaphragm at each landing.

Efficient travel is very beneficial to arid-dwellers such as the Red and Western grey kangaroos, the Tammar wallaby and the euro, which may need to travel long distances between water and food. However, many species inhabit timbered country, with abundant food and regular rainfall.

Answer 2

Over the years, scientists have put forward theories concerning the hows and whys of kangaroo locomotion. As yet, none has fully explained every aspect.

Hopping appears to be more energy-efficient than running or galloping. The faster kangaroos hop, the less energy they use for the same distance. Treadmill studies have shown that kangaroos maintain a constant number of hops per minute. Regardless of how much the treadmill speeds up, they simply take longer and longer hops.

Kangaroos function much like bouncing balls. A ball will bounce a number of times without a fresh input of energy. Every time it hits the ground, some of the energy is shifted to the rubber, stored there, then recycled in an elastic bounce. Jumping kangaroos store 70% of their energy in their tendons, compared to running humans, who can store and reuse only about 20%.

A hopping kangaroo also uses less energy to breathe than one standing still. Part of the secret lies in the way the abdominal organs ‘flop’ within the kangaroo’s body. Instead of using muscle power, air is pushed out of the lungs by the impact of the organs against the diaphragm at each landing.

Efficient travel is very beneficial to arid-dwellers such as the Red and Western grey kangaroos, the Tammar wallaby and the euro, which may need to travel long distances between water and feed. However, many species inhabit timbered country, with abundant food and regular rainfall.

Answer 3

Kangaroos can walk.

However, with their leg structure, it is actually very cumbersome and impractical for them to do so. Hopping is much easier for them, allowing them to move about faster and using less energy, since the tendons and ligaments in their legs are designed for a hopping mode of transportation than walking.

On an evolutionary scale, this mode of transport appears highly successful when regarding predator evasion and natural disaster avoidance (ex. fires). Other members of the Family Macropodidae (Kangaroos, Wallabies, etc.) also exhibit this familiar trait of locomotion.

Answer 4

It is their mode of transportation. To survive, they have evolved great, powerful legs that allow them to bound many feet at a great speed.

Answer 5

Because they can't walk....

Answer 6

cause they can