CruiseOne/Dream Vacations Franchise Owner and Vacation Designer at Elliott Exquisite Vacations
Interesting Facts Kangaroos can’t walk backward. Kangaroos are one of several biologically unique creatures endemic to Australia. One of their most unusual traits is that their long hind feet and muscular tails prevent them from being able to walk backward except with great difficulty. In fact, kangaroos can’t even really walk forward like other animals. Instead, they ambulate using a hopping motion called saltation in which their hind feet touch the ground synchronously instead of alternating one at a time. They also use their long tails to balance and propel themselves forward, almost like a third hind leg. This physiological composition makes it effectively impossible for kangaroos to walk or hop backward, as their tails are far too heavy and cumbersome to allow for easy reverse navigation. When they do want to move “backward,” they do so by turning around and facing that direction. Much like their marsupial mates, emus, another endemic Australian creature, also struggle to walk backward. While these large, flightless birds are capable of sprinting at speeds of up to 31 mph, they can only do so facing forward. When they do move backward, they’re forced to do so very slowly. It’s believed that their knee joints, in addition to their long legs and unusual body shape, prevent them from moving quickly in reverse. Given this shared difficulty in backing up, it’s worth noting that both the kangaroo and the emu also share the distinction of appearing on Australia’s Commonwealth Coat of Arms. According to the country’s Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, the animals were chosen to symbolize a country that’s always moving forward rather than backward.
