Did you know that an adult gray kangaroo can jump 30 feet (9 meters) in a single bound and leap over a fence 9 feet (2.7 meters) high? Its long, heavy tail keeps it from tipping forward as it hops. To jump, a kangaroo springs forward on its hind feet. Inside each leg is a tendon, which acts like a large rubber band. When the kangaroo lands, each leg bends, and the tendon stretches. On the next forward leap, the tendon contracts as it snaps back to its resting position. This pushes the kangaroo forward.
Click here for a downloadable coloring page. You can find out more about kangaroos in my book A KANGAROO'S WORLD (Picture Window Books, 2008) and in KANGAROO (StarWalk Kids, 2013) downloadable to your Kindle.