And why is drowning a defense mechanism for them ?
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Well, boxing involves a set of rules, and kangaroos don’t do rules. They often fight upright, but their real purpose in slapping paws is to get their opponent off balance so they can shove a foot into them to knock them over so they can stomp on their opponent’s balls. They really like to go for the balls.
That’s not boxing.
Yes, kangaroos do box. Or rather, their form of fighting looks like boxing to us, so that’s what we call it. It’s mostly amongst the male kangaroos, and sometimes it’s for the attention of a female that’s in heat. Other times, it’s purely a social/dominating exercise.
As for why they drown, I’m not sure there’s a good explanation for any animal’s defense mechanisms. Kangaroos are strong swimmers and at some point realized they can drown predators. It’s effective, so they continue to do it.
[They don’t throw punches the way a real boxer would](https://youtu.be/cLt70zh2N5U?feature=shared), but they do use their arms. The way they bounce around during the fight looks like boxing footwork (if a little exaggerated), and I think this combination is where the name came from.
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