Below is the second part of "Baby Kangaroo."
The kangaroos know that tasty green grass grows wherever rain has fallen. The group reaches its new home before dark.
A kangaroo's most important senses are smell and hearing. They have long ear flaps which they can turn backward and forward to hear sounds from all directions.
The kangaroos settle into their new home. Night is coming, and it is getting cooler. Joey and the other kangaroos will spend the evening feeding.
Joey's mother nibbles some grass. She uses her short front arms and big back feet to hop-step forward. Joey is still in her pouch. He learns to eat by watching his mother. When she stretches down to eat some grass or nibble on leaves, he stretches down to eat some grass, too.
At six months, a joey begins to eat grass and leaves, but it still drinks its mother's milk.
Joey's little tummy is now full. Joey leaves his mother's pouch. It is grooming time. He uses a paw to comb the fur on his legs, arms, tummy, chest, back, and floppy ears. He licks his arms and rubs them over his face.
Grooming keeps Joey clean, and it also keeps the biting bugs away. When Joey is all finished grooming, he looks for a playmate.
Kangaroos can keep cool by licking their forearms. When this skin is moistened, the blood underneath is cooled. This blood then travels to the rest of the body and cools it, too.
Joey hops to a pool filled with fresh rainwater. The pool is new to him. The land where he lives is normally very dry. Joey looks into the water. He sees another kangaroo looking back at him! Who is this strange kangaroo?
Joey leans closer to look in the water at the stranger's face. Oops! Joey dips his nose in the water and gets all wet.
Kangaroos can cool themselves by taking a dip in the water, too. Joey looks around and sees some older kangaroos splashing around in the cool water.
The water feels wonderful. Joey hops right into the puddle. Soon other young kangaroos join him there. They discover what the older kangaroos already know -- water is fun!
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