Playful kangaroos tussle at Tennessee zoo, video shows. See the two box it out
Two kangaroos decided to test their boxing skills in a video shared by a Tennessee zoo.
The kangaroos were shown “boxing” in their habitat at the Nashville Zoo. They grappled and tussled, all while putting their paws up in a boxer-like stance, the zoo’s Feb. 25 Facebook video showed.
The pair grabbed at each other’s faces and torsos in the video, clinching multiple times. A few times during the sparring session, the kangaroos landed a couple kicks as well, the video shows.
For kangaroos, boxing is relatively common, the zoo said. It’s a way to become stronger, settle disagreements or play around, according to the zoo.
Several people in the video’s comments found the fighting to be cute, with one person calling it the “softest roo fight” they had ever seen.
“This made me laugh out loud…thank you for sharing…leave it to animals to brighten any day!! Love it!!” another commenter said.
“Cute video of animals that scare the pants off me!” another user wrote.
As the world’s largest marsupials, kangaroos can grow up to almost 200 pounds and can reach about 6 feet, 6 inches tall, according to Bush Heritage Australia.
Their powerful legs aren’t just for kicking at each other during play fights — paired with their strong tails, kangaroos can hop about 35 miles per hour, the organization said.
Male kangaroos learn how to fight as soon as they leave their mother’s pouch, according to BBC Earth’s Life Story video. The joeys’ mothers teach them the basics, and then they spend years learning to spar, BBC Earth said.
Becoming a champion fighter is important to males, as it gives them “privileged access” to females in the mob, which is a group of kangaroos, according to BBC Earth.
One species of kangaroo, a black wallaroo, is listed as near threatened, according to Bush Heritage Australia. The other species of kangaroo are not endangered, the organization said.
This story was originally published February 29, 2024 at 1:05 PM with the headline "Playful kangaroos tussle at Tennessee zoo, video shows. See the two box it out."
