Boxing Kangaroos Totally Duke It Out at Nashville Zoo
People don't always get along, and neither do animals. A pair of kangaroos with a beef against each other was spotted at the Nashville Zoo in Tennessee earlier this week, and it seems that duking it out was the way they chose to handle the disagreement. ABC News shared a video clip of the two on Wednesday, February 28th.
The clip is short and shows the red kangaroos battling it out. Using their tails for balance, the two males use their front arms to attack each other. They trade blows and continue on throughout the video; watch until the end to see if you can name the winner of the match.
They were kung foo fighting! ABC News says in their caption that the Nashville Zoo confirmed that they behavior is known as 'boxing' and is a common behavior for kangaroos. The zoo said that this behavior helps kangaroos build strength, settle disputes, and is also a form of playing. If you ask me, I'd say it looks more like playing than a fight!
Related: Australian Dog Owner Fights Off Kangaroo Who Was Trying to Drown His Dog
Why Do Kangaroos Engage in 'Boxing'?
I've never heard of this kangaroo behavior, so I did some research to learn more about it. I do know that kangaroos seem to love to fight, and according to A-ZAnimals.com, this behavior starts at a young age between males. It's how they actually learn to fight, which they do regularly in adulthood. Males box each other to demonstrate dominance - sometimes to the death - so that they can find a female mate. The fight includes the kangaroos engaging in circling, grappling, punching, and kicking. If they fight doesn't end in death but defeat, the defended will throw up his white flag by coughing.
I wondered why the kangaroos threw their heads back instead of biting each other. They do this to protect their eyes. A-Z says, "This is because kangaroos have extremely sharp claws which can easily do serious damage to their opponent's eyes."
But where the damage is really inflicted is when the kangaroos use their hind legs to kick. They're legs are extremely powerful, and also have long, sharp claws that cause additional damage. A-Z added, "This is why male kangaroos have thicker skin on their bellies – to protect them from the sharp claws and punishing blows."
Another interesting fact is that kangaroos will fight over water...even the females will get in on the action for water! Water is often hard to come by, so when they find a good source of water, the mob (name for a group of kangaroos) will protect it at all costs. Females will also fight for food, territory, and to protect their young.
Whether the two in the video were sparring for fun or just playing, it was still a cool thing to see, and I just hope that neither of them were hurt!
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