Do Kangaroos Box?
Do Kangaroos Box? Kangaroos do often fight with one another, but they don’t box the way a prizefighter does, by throwing punches. Kangaroos fight by biting and scratching with their sharp-nailed paws, though kangaroos have thick stomach skin that protects them from serious injury during fights with each other, if a kangaroo tangles with another species, such as a dingo, a swipe from his claws can be deadly.
They also stand on their strong tails and deliver powerful kicks with their strong hind legs. While fighting, the kangaroos bend their heads back in order to protect their eyes and ears. Kangaroos live in groups called mobs. Each mob is guarded by an old buck that keeps the younger bucks in line. Sometimes he has to use force, so he “boxes” with them.
Generally, males engage in this type of boxing as a way of determining who “wins” a particular female as a mate. Not restricted to using just their hands, they will also lock arms at points and wrestle back-and-forth while balancing on their tails.
With powerful legs, tails and upper bodies, kangaroos are well-equipped for self-defense — when it comes time to defend himself, a kangaroo puts up his dukes much like a human boxer. His style of fighting is generally characterized as boxing because of the way he punches and jabs at an opponent, but there are no referees here — he also uses his tail, legs and other natural defense mechanisms to fight off foes.
Kangaroos can leap up to 25 feet in a single bound, and they won’t hesitate to use that formidable leg strength in a fight. During a “boxing” bout, a kangaroo can actually balance his entire body on his tail, kicking forward with his powerful legs.