WASHINGTON: Kangaroos tend to be lefties, according to a study on Thursday that sheds new light on the capacity for mammals, particularly those that walk upright, to prefer one paw over the other.

The study was published in the journal Current Biology.

Lead researcher Yegor Malashichev of Saint Petersburg State University in Russia studied kangaroos for the first time, after previously focusing on handedness in jumping frogs, walking frogs and gray short-tailed opossums.

Wild kangaroos in Australia and Tasmania showed “a natural preference for their left hands when performing particular actions — grooming the nose, picking a leaf, or bending a tree branch, for example”, said the study.

“Left-handedness was particularly apparent in eastern grey and red kangaroos.” When it came to red-necked wallabies, they appeared to favour their left hand for some tasks — like those involving fine motor skills — and their right for others that used more physical strength.

Published in Dawn June 20th, 2015

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