Scientists baffled by kangaroo's ability to jump super high

For many years, scientists have been baffled by the kangaroo's ability to jump so high. In fact, the kangaroo's jumping capability is so impressive that it has even been dubbed as "super jumping".

So what makes the kangaroo so good at jumping? Interestingly, it turns out that the answer to this question is still unknown. However, scientists have proposed several hypotheses in an attempt to explain the kangaroo's jumping prowess.

One hypothesis suggests that the kangaroo's large tail plays a role in its jumping ability. It is thought that the tail acts as a kind of spring, propelling the kangaroo forward when it jumps. Another hypothesis suggests that the kangaroo's powerful hind legs are responsible for its super jumping ability. These legs are said to generate more power than any other animal's legs, allowing the kangaroo to jump higher and farther than any other creature.

Despite the speculation of scientists, no one has been able to conclusively say why the kangaroo is such a good jumper. However, this has not stopped people from marveling at this marsupial's impressive feat. In fact, many people believe that the kangaroo's leaping ability is one of its most awe-inspiring features.

Kangaroo populations on the rise across Australia

Kangaroo populations are on the rise in many parts of Australia, raising questions about how to manage the iconic marsupials.

The Australian National Parks Association (ANPA) has called for a national kangaroo management plan, as populations have increased by up to 33% in some areas.

In Victoria, for example, the number of eastern grey kangaroos has grown from around 1.5 million in 2009 to more than 2 million today.

Many farmers and landowners are calling for a cull, but the ANPA says this would be a mistake.

"Kangaroos are not pests," said ANPA CEO Terry Sheeran. "They are an important part of our natural heritage and should be managed as part of our national parks system."

Sheeran said a cull would also be expensive and ineffective. "Kangaroos are very territorial animals and when you kill one, others will take its place," he said. "You might kill 100 kangaroos, but another 500 will move in to replace them."

The ANPA is calling for a more holistic approach to kangaroo management, which would include research into factors such as food availability and competition with livestock.

Kangaroos caught on camera playing 'king of the hill' in the outback

Australia's kangaroos are well-known for being cute and bouncy creatures, but a recent video has shown them taking on a new, more mischievous side. The footage, captured by a campervan driver in the outback, shows two kangaroos battling it out for control of a small hillock, wrestling and jumping on each other in what appears to be a game of 'king of the hill'.

At one point in the video, a third kangaroo can be seen joining in on the fun, seemingly enjoying the spectacle. It's not clear what prompted the roos to start playing around – perhaps they were just bored or looking for something to do – but it's safe to say that the passengers in the campervan got quite a show!

This isn't the first time that Australia's kangaroos have been caught behaving in an unusual way. In 2012, footage emerged of a kangaroo attacking a cyclist in Perth, punching him several times and sending him crashing to the ground. And last year, a group of kangaroos was spotted jumping on cars parked near Sydney Airport. Clearly these animals are capable of some pretty strange behavior when they feel like it!

So what do all these examples tell us about kangaroos? Well, first and foremost they seem to be highly active and curious creatures that aren't afraid to get into mischief if given the opportunity. They're also very social animals, which may explain why the one in the video was so keen to join in on the fun.

Kangaroos are an important part of Australian culture and history, and with their increasing population (they're now estimated at around 50 million) they're likely to continue playing an important role in our country's future. As long as we keep putting up cameras wherever we go, we'll continue to get amazing footage like this of Australia's beloved 'roo

Could kangaroos be the key to renewable energy?

Kangaroos could hold the key to unlocking renewable energy according to a new study. The marsupials are able to extract more energy from food than any other mammal, meaning they could help develop more efficient bioenergy technologies.

The research, published in the journal BioEnergy Research, found that kangaroos convert up to 82% of the energy in their food into movement – much more than horses (40%), dogs (50%) and even grey wolves (65%).

This efficiency is due to kangaroos' unique anatomy, which includes a highly efficient digestive system and large leg muscles. Their ability to use so much of the energy in their food has potential implications for the development of advanced bioenergy technologies such as microbial fuel cells and bioreactors.

"Kangaroos are one of the most energetically efficient mammals on Earth and this is largely due to their physical features and digestive capabilities," said study author UNSW Professor David Raubenheimer.

"This makes them an excellent model for developing new advanced bioenergy technologies that can convert plant-based feedstocks into useful forms of energy like electricity or liquid fuels."

Microbial fuel cells are devices that use bacteria to break down organic matter and generate electricity. Bioreactors are systems that uses bacterial enzymes to convert organic matter into liquid fuels such as ethanol or diesel.

Both technologies have potential applications in the renewable energy sector, but are currently hampered by their high costs and low efficiency. The new study suggests that kangaroos could provide a way to improve these technologies and make them more cost effective.

"Understanding how kangaroos manage their energy resources is giving us insights into how we can develop more efficient bioenergy technologies that are sustainable in the long term," said Professor Raubenheimer.

Incredibly rare white kangaroo spotted in central Australia

Tourists and locals in the central Australian town of Mungallala have been treated to an incredible sight - a white kangaroo.

The roo, which is estimated to be around two years old, was first spotted by grazier Terry Carlon, who said it was the first time he had ever seen anything like it.

"I've never seen one in my life before," he said. "It was very interesting to see."

Photos of the white kangaroo have since gone viral on social media, with many people expressing their amazement at the sight.

While albino kangaroos are not unheard of, they are incredibly rare, with only around one in every 25,000 kangaroos being born white.

Locals say thewhite kangaroo is currently living in a paddock near Mungallala and is still on the loose.