Kangaroos belong to the Macropodidae family of animals and are endemic to Australia; one genus, the tree kangaroo, is found in Papua New Guinea. The name Macropodidae is in reference to the kangaroo’s large hind foot. The powerful hind quarters and long tail of a kangaroo provide it with the means to reach speeds of 70 km/h in quick bursts or to cruise along at 40 km/h for extended distances. The kangaroo is the largest animal dependent on hopping as a means of locomotion.
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The settlement of Australia occurred 40,000 to 70,000 years ago. The first arrivals may have used a combination of land and sea routes when making their way to Australia. Those arriving by sea probably came from Timor and those arriving by land came from New Guinea; Australia and New Guinea were once part of a larger continent called Sahul. The aboriginal people of Australia had a multi-generational passage through Asia during their migration from Africa, but they are not closely related to Asians.
