Kangaroos are loved unanimously worldwide for their adorable fuzzy looks, but did you know that kangaroos are actually the largest marsupials on the planet?
So whilst they may seem cute and cuddly, they’re also incredibly strong! Whether it’s their tail, legs, or massive feet, there’s no denying that kangaroos are strong.
This strength, especially in their legs and feet, is necessary, however, as they’re the only large marsupial that hops. So without this strength, they would be unable to move around.
So whilst everyone knows that kangaroos are strong, you might be wondering exactly how strong they are, so if you want to know more about how strong Australia’s most iconic animal is, then read on through our guide as we’ll tell you everything you need to know about a Kangaroo’s strength!
How Strong Are A Kangaroo’s Legs?
When it comes to discussing the strength of a kangaroo, you can’t start anywhere else except its legs.
Their legs have so many uses, but since they hop around, they’re ultimately the most powerful part of the kangaroo, but even though many people know that a kangaroo’s legs are incredibly strong, they might not know that kangaroos actually have some of the strongest hind legs on the entire planet!
The strength in their legs is all thanks to the incredible muscles that can be found throughout their legs, which are primarily used to help launch them forward with each step they take.
In fact, a kangaroo’s legs are so powerful that they can sometimes hop as much as 25 feet in one hop!
It might be somewhat hard for us humans to quite imagine the power that a kangaroo has in its legs, but if you find yourself near one it wouldn’t be a surprise to be able to feel the force of them hopping in the ground beneath you.
How Hard Can A Kangaroo Kick?
It might shock you that kangaroos are actually one of the only animals that can kick using their hind legs, and since we’ve already established how muscular their legs are, then it should come as no surprise to learn that kangaroos can have an extremely strong kick on them!
Whilst they are mainly used for hopping, kangaroos do use their legs for defensive purposes as well, so the question is, how strong is a kangaroo’s kick?
A kangaroo’s legs can deliver a whopping 759 pounds of force through them, which when you put it into context, could easily send a fully grown adult human male flying, and is more than enough force to shatter entire bones too.
This is important when you consider their habitat is also frequented by animals such as dingos, or even tiger snakes, so kangaroos need a strong defense mechanism to protect themselves from any potential danger.
Kangaroos might also use their super strong kicks when it comes to fighting other kangaroos too, which usually happens between males during the mating season.
How Fast Can A Kangaroo Run?
With all of this power in their legs, it also means that kangaroos are quite fast runners too, when it comes to running (or hopping) in short bursts, kangaroos can reach a blistering speed of up to 44 miles per hour (71 kilometers per hour), which places them as the 10th fastest land animal in the world!
It’s not just their legs that they use though, as kangaroos also have quite a mean punch on them! You’d be forgiven for considering their unusual anatomy,
that their forearms were perhaps not that strong due to their size, but the reality is that their arms are quite strong too!
Although their legs are more useful, as they’re the kangaroo’s way of moving around, they also use their arms quite frequently too, mainly to grab onto branches and leaves to hold on to or to hold their food!
They will also make use of their arms during a fight with another kangaroo, where they will raise their fists much like a boxer would, and strike when possible.
However, when compared to their legs, the strength in their arms is nothing, so their punches aren’t quite as strong.
They do make use of their arms in different defensive situations though, for example, when a kangaroo is being chased, they will often run into a body of water in the hopes that the predator will follow them in, where they will then use their arms to push the predator under the water to drown them.
How Strong Is A Kangaroo’s Tail?
Unsurprisingly, a kangaroo’s tail is extremely strong, and it can pretty much take their entire body weight, which is usually around 200 pounds, and is used as their main way of balancing themselves as they hop around, and it can provide them with just as much propulsion whilst hopping as their front and hind legs can!
When fighting, male kangaroos will balance entirely on their tails in order to be able to kick the opposing kangaroo, so their tails are an important part of their ability to both move around and defend themselves!
How Strong Are Kangaroos Compared To A Human?
As much as we like to think we’re fighters, compared to an animal like a kangaroo, unfortunately a human would stand no chance, because of their consistent fights with other kangaroo, as well as their insane strength, a human would easily be beaten by a kangaroo in a fight.
Conclusion
Overall, kangaroos are incredibly strong, their legs, tail, and arm strength make them fantastic fighters and fast animals too, so don’t try and fight one!The red kangaroo exhibits astounding strength, boasting a bite force six times stronger than humans. With swipe force nearly six times stronger than the average, their tails provide balance and contribute to kicks delivering immense impact—equivalent to an average mountain lion.
Eastern grey kangaroos possess strong tails, granting agility and force, surpassing the average human in power. These abilities stem from their unique physiology, granting them exceptional speed and body strength. Kangaroos, unlike other creatures, leverage their muscular tails to gain an incredible advantage, showcasing their remarkable prowess in the animal kingdom.
Hi, I’m Olivia Kepner and I am a zookeeper here in San Diego. Since I was a young girl I have always been fascinated by animals and species across the globe.
I used to beg my parents to take me to our local zoo every single weekend. Well, I say local – it was more like a two hour drive away. But they took me as much as they could, allowing me to fall in love with the animals again and again.
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