Australia has a reputation for being full of deadly – and often wonderfully weird – wildlife.
But many of its endemic animals, such as the wombat, koala and platypus, aren’t known for their fast pace – apart from one.
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What’s the fastest land mammal in Australia?
The fastest terrestrial mammal in Australia is the red kangaroo which can clock up a top speed of around 56 kmph (34 mph) over shorter distances.
And its ability to hop is an incredibly efficient way of travelling. Rather than straining and contracting their muscles to hop, kangaroos have large Achilles tendons which act like huge springs.
Their hopping motion also drives their gut up and down, inflating and deflating their lungs – which saves them effort while breathing.
Their tail (which has been described by researchers as a “fifth leg”) also supports, propels and powers their gait.
But kangaroos actually spend most of their time at a more leisurely pace while grazing – choosing to hop when they need to cover vast distances.
Top image: a red kangaroo in Sturt National Park, New South Wales, eastern Australia. Credit: imageBROKER/Jurgen & Christine Sohns/Getty Images
