The kangaroo is the calling card of Australia. In the animal world

Australia's most famous marsupial is, of course, the kangaroo. This animal is the official symbol of the Green Continent. Its image is everywhere: on the national flag, coins, commercial products... In their homeland, kangaroos can be found near populated areas, on farmland and even on the outskirts of cities.

Types of kangaroos and their habitats

In total, there are more than 60 species of kangaroos - from dwarf ones, no larger than a hare, to giant ones, whose height reaches up to two meters. Photos and names of the most famous representatives of the kangaroo family (Macropodidae) are presented below.

Tree kangaroos Claw-tailed kangaroos Bush kangaroos Striped kangaroos Red kangaroos Wallabies Philanders Potoroo

Kangaroos live throughout Australia, New Guinea and the islands.

In addition to Australia, potoroo (10 species) are also found in Tasmania. They inhabit rain forests, moist hard-leaved forests and bush thickets.

Bush and forest kangaroos inhabit New Guinea. Also, 8 out of 10 tree species live in New Guinea alone.

Philanders are found in eastern Australia, New Guinea and Tasmania. They are associated with moist, dense forests, including eucalyptus.

Claw-tailed species inhabit desert and semi-desert areas, their range is limited to Australia.

Red kangaroo and other representatives of the genus Macropus ( gray kangaroo, common wallaroo, nimble wallaby, etc.) are found from deserts to the edges of moist eucalyptus forests in Australia.

Feral populations of these animals exist in some countries and outside Australia. For example, the brush-tailed rock wallaby found a home in Hawaii, the red-gray wallaby in England and Germany, and the white-breasted wallaby in New Zealand.

Musk kangaroo rats are usually classified into the family Hypsiprymnodontidae. Their distribution is limited to the rainforests of eastern Cape York Island.

What does a kangaroo look like? Description of the animal

The kangaroo has a long massive tail, a thin neck, and narrow shoulders. The hind limbs are very well developed. Long, muscular thighs highlight a narrow pelvis. For even more long bones The muscles of the lower leg are not so developed, and the ankles are designed in such a way that they prevent the foot from turning to the side. When an animal rests or moves slowly, its weight is distributed over its long, narrow feet, creating a plantigrade effect. However, when this marsupial jumps, it rests only on 2 toes - the fourth and fifth, while the second and third toes have been reduced and turned into one process with two claws - they are used for cleaning wool. The first finger is completely lost.

The forelimbs of a kangaroo, unlike the hind limbs, are very small, mobile and somewhat reminiscent of human hands. The hand is short and wide, with five identical fingers. Animals can grab food particles with their front paws and manipulate them. In addition, they use them to open the bag and also comb the fur. Large species also use their forelimbs for thermoregulation: they lick the inside of them, while saliva, evaporating, cools the blood in the network of superficial vessels of the skin.

Kangaroos are covered with thick hair 2-3 cm long. The color varies from light gray through many shades of sandy brown to dark brown and even black. Many species have diffuse light or dark stripes on the lower back, around the upper thighs, in the shoulder area, or between the eyes. The tail and limbs are often darker in color than the body, while the belly is usually light.

Males are often brighter colored than females. For example, male red kangaroos are sandy-red in color, while females are blue-gray or sandy-gray.

The body length of these marsupials is from 28 cm (for the musk kangaroo) to 180 cm (for the red kangaroo); tail length from 14 to 110 cm; body weight – from 0.5 to 100 kg in the same species.

Jumping record holders

Kangaroos are the largest mammals that move by hopping on their hind legs. They can jump very far and quickly. The usual jump length is 2-3 meters in height and 9-10 meters in length! They can reach speeds of up to 65 km/h.

However, jumping is not the only way they move. They can also walk on all fours, with their legs moving together and not alternately. In medium and large kangaroos, when the hind limbs are raised and carried forward, the animal relies on its tail and forelimbs. In large species, the tail is long and thick; it serves as a support when the animal sits.

Lifestyle

Some of the largest species of these animals form groups of 50 or more individuals, and they can repeatedly leave the group and rejoin it. Males move from one group to another more often than females; They also use large areas of habitat.

Large social species live in open areas. They used to be attacked by land and air predators such as dingoes, wedge-tailed eagle and marsupial wolf (which is now extinct). Living in a group gives marsupials undeniable advantages. For example, dingoes are unlikely to approach a large herd, and kangaroos may spend more time feeding. The size of groups depends on population density, habitat type and other factors.

However, most small species are solitary animals. Only occasionally can you meet 2-3 individuals in one company.

As a rule, kangaroos do not have homes, with the exception of musk kangaroo rats. Some species, such as brushtails, make shelters in burrows that they dig themselves. Rock kangaroos take refuge during the day in crevices or piles of stones, forming colonies.

Kangaroos are usually most active during twilight and night hours. During the day, in the heat, they prefer to rest somewhere in a shady place.

Diet

The basis of the kangaroo's diet is plant food, including grass, leaves, fruits, seeds, bulbs, mushrooms and rhizomes. Some small species, particularly potoroos, often supplement their plant diet with invertebrates and beetle larvae.

Short-faced kangaroos prefer underground parts of plants - roots, rhizomes, tubers and bulbs. This is one of the species that eats mushrooms and spreads spores.

Small wallabies feed mainly on grass.

In wooded habitats, the kangaroo's diet includes more fruit. In general, many types of plants are eaten: marsupials eat various parts of them depending on the season.

Wallaroos, red and gray kangaroos prefer leaves herbaceous plants, without also missing the seeds of cereals and other monocots. Interestingly, large species can feed only on grass.

Small species are the most selective in their food preferences. They seek out high-quality foods, many of which require careful digestion.

Continuation of the family. Life of a baby kangaroo in a bag

In some species of kangaroo mating season confined to a specific season, others can reproduce all year round. Pregnancy lasts 30-39 days.

Females of large species begin to bear offspring at the age of 2-3 years and remain reproductively active until 8-12 years. Some rat kangaroos are ready to breed as early as 10-11 months of age. Males reach sexual maturity a little later than females, but in large species, older individuals do not allow them to participate in reproduction.

At birth, the calf is only 15-25 mm long. It is not even fully formed and looks like a fetus with underdeveloped eyes, vestigial hind limbs and a tail. But as soon as the umbilical cord breaks, the baby, without the help of its mother, on its forelimbs makes its way through her fur to the hole in the pouch on her belly. There it attaches to one of the nipples and develops within 150-320 days (depending on the species).

The bag provides the newborn with the necessary temperature and humidity, protects him, and allows him to move freely. During the first 12 weeks, the baby kangaroo grows rapidly and acquires characteristic features.

When the baby leaves the nipple, the mother allows him to leave the pouch for short walks. Only before the birth of a new cub does she not allow him to get into the pouch. The baby kangaroo perceives this prohibition with difficulty, since it was previously taught to return at the first call. Meanwhile, the mother cleans and prepares the pouch for the next baby.

The grown kangaroo continues to follow its mother and can stick its head into the pouch to enjoy milk.

This baby in the pouch is already able to move independently

The period of milk feeding lasts many months in large species, but is quite short in small rat kangaroos. As the baby grows, the amount of milk changes. In this case, the mother can simultaneously feed the kangaroo in the pouch and the previous one, but with different amounts of milk and from different nipples. This is possible due to the fact that the secretion of each mammary gland independently regulated by hormones. In order for the older cub to grow quickly, he receives full-fat milk, while the newborn in the pouch is provided with skim milk.

All species give birth to only one baby, with the exception of the musk kangaroo, which often produces twins and even triplets.

Conservation in nature

Australian farmers kill about 3 million large kangaroos and wallaroos every year because they are considered pests of pastures and crops. Shooting is licensed and regulated.

When Australia was just populated by the first newcomers, these marsupials were not so numerous, and in the second half of the 19th century, scientists even feared that kangaroos might disappear. However, the development of pastures and watering holes for sheep, along with a decrease in the number of dingoes, led to the flourishing of these marsupials. Only in New Guinea are things different: commercial hunting has reduced populations and threatened tree kangaroos and some other restricted species.

In contact with

Kangaroo is a unique animal. This is the only large mammal that moves with huge leaps, relying on powerful hind legs And a long tail. Their front legs are small and weak, similar in appearance to human hands. This unusual animal is predominantly nocturnal, and during the day it hides in the grass, while taking funny poses. Lovers of nature and unusual animals will be interested to know where kangaroos live, how they reproduce and what they eat.

Variety of species

There are 69 species of kangaroos, which are divided into three main groups: small, medium and giant. The largest marsupial animal is the red kangaroo: its height at the withers is 1-1.6 meters, and the tallest males sometimes reach 2 meters. The tail length adds another 90-110 cm, and the weight ranges from 50 to 90 kg. These animals move in huge leaps up to 10 meters long, reaching speeds of up to 50-60 km/h. The smallest representative of this family is the musk kangaroo. His height is only 15-20 cm, and his weight is 340 grams.

The most common species is the red steppe kangaroo. In size it belongs to middle group and is distributed throughout almost the entire Australian continent, excluding the region tropical forests. The friendliest and most trusting species is the giant gray kangaroo, and the most aggressive is the mountain wallaroo. This animal can show unreasonable aggression and get into fights even when nothing threatens it. At the same time, wallaroos prefer to scratch and bite, but never use their powerful hind legs, like most of their relatives.

Habitats

Countries where kangaroos live are Australia, Tasmania and New Guinea, as well as New Zealand. Many species of these animals prefer to live on plains among thick, tall grass and sparse shrubs. Kangaroos are mainly nocturnal, so this habitat allows them to safely hide during the day. The animals make large nests out of grass, and some species dig shallow burrows. Mountain species live in inaccessible rocky gorges. These small animals have perfectly adapted to their environment: their paws have become tough and rough to move safely on slippery stones. Tree kangaroos live in trees; they crawl freely and jump from branch to branch, but come down to the ground for food.

Kangaroos are herbivores. Like cows, they chew grass, swallow and regurgitate it to make it digestible. Eating can occur at different times of the day and depends on temperature environment. During hot periods, kangaroos can lie in the shade all day and go out to eat at night. One of the most amazing features is that kangaroos can go for months without water. On dry days, they feed on grass and tree bark, thus saturating their body with moisture.

Features of reproduction

Kangaroos breed in the wild once a year. The size of a newborn baby is only 1-2 centimeters, it is born completely helpless, blind and bald, so immediately after birth it crawls into a pouch on its mother’s stomach and attaches itself to the nipple for the next 34 weeks. If the baby does not reach the pouch and falls to the ground, the mother is forced to leave him: the baby is so small that the female will simply crush him if she tries to pick him up.

Inside, the surface of the bag is smooth, but in front of the “entrance” it is covered with thick, thick wool to protect the baby from cold and dangers. With the help of powerful muscles, the female is able to close the pouch so tightly that she can even swim, while the cub remains completely dry.

Just a few days after the baby is born, the animal is ready to mate again. Having become pregnant, the female can stop the development of the embryo for several months while the already born baby grows up. When the baby kangaroo is strong enough to leave the mother’s pouch, the female again “starts” the development of pregnancy and after a few weeks a new baby is born.

Enemies of kangaroos

Where kangaroos live, natural enemies are almost completely absent. In rare cases, small individuals may be attacked by foxes or dingoes. There are also occasional attacks by large birds such as the wedge-tailed eagle. The only serious opponent of kangaroo animals in Australia is the marsupial wolf, but these predators were exterminated by hunters, and at the moment there is not a single individual left on the planet. Oddly enough, sand flies pose the greatest danger. These pesky insects get into the kangaroo's eyes, which in most cases leads to blindness.

Kangaroos live in flocks of 10-15 individuals. As a rule, the largest and strongest male is dominant.

Kangaroo meat is very nutritious and contains almost no fat, which is why it is very popular among consumers. Kangaroo meat dishes are served even in the most expensive and luxurious top-class restaurants.

These animals do not know how to move backwards; they walk and jump only forward. Residents of Australia, the country where kangaroos live, decided to depict them on their coat of arms, demonstrating that the country is also moving forward.

Female kangaroos can care for two babies of different ages at the same time. Youngest child lives in a bag, and the eldest only comes to eat milk. For this purpose, the mother has 4 nipples with different types milk: higher in fat for a newborn, and higher in carbohydrates for an older child.

Several kangaroos escaped from zoos in the United States, France and Ireland, and then managed to have offspring in the wild.

Kangaroos are unique and funny. Although most species are poorly domesticated, many zoos around the world are home to small flocks of these interesting animals, so nature lovers have the opportunity to admire them in person.

Kangaroo (lat. Macropus) is the name commonly used for a group of animals that belong to the order of marsupial two-incisor mammals. In a broad sense, this term refers to any representatives of the Kangaroo family. The narrow meaning of the name applies to the largest representatives of the family, which is why the smallest animals are called wallabies and wallaroos.

Description of kangaroo

The word “kangaroo” owes its origin to the names “kanguroo” or “gangurru”. This is the name given to an animal with interesting structure bodies, aborigines of Australia who spoke the Kuuku-Yimithiri language. Currently, the kangaroo is an unofficial symbol of Australia, depicted on the state coat of arms.

Appearance

Depending on the species characteristics, the body length of representatives of the Kangaroo family can vary in a wide range - from a quarter to one and a half meters, and the weight is 18-100 kg. The currently largest individual of marsupial animals of this species is represented by a fairly widespread inhabitant of the Australian continent - the red large kangaroo, and the most heavy weight characteristic of the eastern gray kangaroo. The fur of this marsupial animal is thick and soft, black, gray and red in color or presented in their shades.

This is interesting! Thanks to the special structure of the body, the animal is able to successfully defend itself with powerful blows with its hind legs, and also move quickly, using its long tail as a rudder.

The kangaroo has a rather poorly developed upper body and also has a small head. The animal's muzzle can be quite long or short. Also, structural features include narrow shoulders, short and weak front paws, which are completely devoid of hair, and also have five fingers with very sharp and relatively long claws. The fingers are characterized by good mobility, so they are used by animals for grasping objects and combing fur, as well as during feeding.

The lower part of the kangaroo's body is very well developed and is represented by fairly powerful hind legs, a long thick tail, strong thighs and muscular legs with four toes. The connection of the second and third fingers is carried out by a special membrane, and the fourth finger is equipped with a strong claw.

Lifestyle and behavior

The marsupial prefers a nocturnal lifestyle, so at dusk it moves to pasture. During the daytime, the kangaroo rests in the shade under trees, in special burrows or grass nests. When danger appears, marsupials transmit alarm signals to other members of the pack using powerful strikes of their hind legs on the surface of the ground. Sounds such as grunting, sneezing, clicking and hissing are also often used to convey information.

This is interesting! It is typical for marsupials to be strictly attached to a certain territory, so they prefer not to leave it without special reasons. The exception is the huge red kangaroos, which quite easily travel tens of kilometers in search of more profitable feeding areas.

In areas with favorable living conditions, including a good food supply and the absence of any dangers, marsupials are able to form numerous communities consisting of almost a hundred individuals. However, as a rule, such representatives of the order of marsupial two-incisor mammals live in fairly small flocks, consisting of a male, as well as several females and kangaroos. The male very jealously protects the flock from the encroachments of any other adult males, as a result of which incredibly cruel fights occur.

How long do kangaroos live?

The average life expectancy of a kangaroo directly depends on the species characteristics of such an animal, as well as environmental conditions in nature or captivity. The longest living species is the red kangaroo (Macropus rufus).. Such bright representatives of the order of marsupial two-incisor mammals are capable of living for a quarter of a century.

The second species in terms of average life expectancy is the Eastern Gray Kangaroo (Macropus giganteus), which lives in captivity for about two decades, and in conditions wildlife– approximately 8-12 years. Western gray kangaroos (Macropus fuliginosus) also have a similar life expectancy.

Species of kangaroo

There are more than five dozen species belonging to the kangaroo family, but only species that are large and medium in size are currently considered to be true kangaroos.

The most known species presented:

• Large red kangaroo (Macropus rufus)- the longest representative of marsupials in size. Maximum length The body of an adult is two meters, and the tail is slightly more than one meter. The male's body weight reaches 80-85 kg, and the female's - 33-35 kg;
• Forest gray kangaroo- the heaviest representative of marsupials. The maximum weight reaches one hundred kilograms with a standing height of 170 cm;
• Mountain kangaroo (wallaroo)- a large animal with a squat build and broad shoulders and short hind legs. There is no fur in the nose area, and the soles of the paws are rough, which greatly facilitates movement in mountainous areas;
• Tree kangaroos- currently the only representatives of the Kangaroo family living in trees. The maximum body length of such an animal is slightly more than half a meter. The specific feature is the presence of very tenacious claws on the paws and thick brownish fur, which not only makes it easier to climb trees, but also camouflages the animal in the foliage.

This is interesting! Representatives of all types of kangaroos have good hearing, and by “pricking up” like cats’ ears they are able to pick up even very quiet sounds. Despite the fact that such marsupials cannot move backwards at all, they are excellent swimmers.

The smallest kangaroo species are wallabies. The maximum length of an adult individual, as a rule, does not exceed half a meter, and the minimum weight of a female wallaby is only one kilogram. In appearance, such animals are similar to an ordinary rat, which has a hairless and long tail.

Range, habitats

The main habitat of the kangaroo is represented by the territory of Australia and Tasmania, New Guinea and the Bismarck Archipelago. Marsupials were also introduced to New Zealand. Kangaroos quite often settle close to people's homes. Such marsupials can easily be found on the outskirts of not too large and densely populated cities, as well as near farms.

As observations show, a significant part of the species are terrestrial animals that live on flat areas overgrown with dense grass and shrubs. All tree kangaroos are perfectly adapted to moving through trees, and mountain wallabies (Petrogale) live directly in rocky areas.

Kangaroo diet

Kangaroos feed mainly on plant foods. Their main daily diet includes a variety of plants, including grass, clover and alfalfa, flowering legumes, eucalyptus and acacia foliage, vines and ferns. Marsupials also eat plant roots and tubers, fruits and berries. For some species, eating worms or insects is common.

Scientists have observed that adult male kangaroos feed about one hour longer than females.. However, it is the diet of females that contains the most high-protein foods, which has a positive effect on the quality characteristics of the milk produced for feeding the baby.

This is interesting! Marsupials are resourceful, so they can adapt very well to many unfavorable conditions. external conditions, including the lack of usual food. In this case, animals can quite easily switch to other types of food, including plants that are not used for food even by indiscriminate and unpretentious representatives of the fauna.

Natural enemies

In natural natural conditions adult kangaroos feed once during the day, in the evening hours, immediately after sunset, which significantly reduces the risk of a sudden meeting with many natural enemies. Damage to the marsupial population is caused by wild animals, as well as foxes and some large birds of prey.

Kangaroo is a mammal that belongs to the order Two-incisor marsupials (lat. Diprotodontia), the Kangaroo family (lat. Macropodidae). Among these animals there are many endangered and rare species.

The term "kangaroo" is also applied to the family of Kangaroo rats, or potoroos. Potoroidae), the features of which we will discuss in another article.

Etymology of the word "kangaroo"

Interpretations (etymologies) of words can be scientific and folk, and very often they do not coincide. The case of the origin of the name kangaroo is one of the most typical such examples. Both interpretations agree that this word comes from the language of the Aboriginal people of Australia. When Captain Cook sailed to the mainland, he saw strange animals and asked the natives what these unusual animals were called. The aborigines answered: “gangaru.” Some scientists believe that in the native language “keng” (or “gang”) meant “jump”, and “roo” meant “four-legged”. Other researchers translate the locals' response as "I don't understand."

Linguists are confident that the word “kanguroo” or “gangurru” appeared in the language of the Australian Guugu-Yimithirr tribe, which lived on the coast of the Botanical Bay of the Tasman Sea. This word was used by local residents to call black and gray kangaroos. When Cook's expedition arrived on the mainland, all representatives of the kangaroo family began to be called this way. Literally, kangaroo is translated as “big jumper”, as opposed to the “little jumper”, which the Aborigines called “waloru”. This word has now changed to "wallaby" and is present in the species name of the mountain kangaroo. It also became a collective name for all medium-sized representatives of the kangaroo family.

What does a kangaroo look like? Description and characteristics of the animal

In a broad sense, the term “kangaroo” is used in relation to the entire Kangaroo family, and in a narrow sense it is used only in relation to large, real, or gigantic representatives of this taxon, the foot of whose hind legs is longer than 25 cm. Smaller animals are more often called wallaroo and wallaby. The common name “giant kangaroos” can equally be applied to both real kangaroos and wallaroos, since they are also tall.

The Kangaroo family includes 11 genera and 62 species included in them. The maximum length was recorded in the eastern gray kangaroo (lat. Macropus giganteus): it is 3 meters. In second place is the gigantic red kangaroo (lat. Macropus rufus) with a body size excluding the tail of up to 1.65 m. True, the gigantic red one loses in weight. Its maximum weight is 85 kg, with the eastern gray kangaroo weighing 95 kg.

On the left is an eastern gray kangaroo (lat. Macropus giganteus), photo credit: Benjamint444, CC BY-SA 3.0. On the right is a gigantic red kangaroo (lat. Macropus rufus), photo by: Drs, Public Domain

The smallest representatives of the Kangaroo family are the Philanders, the striped hare-wallaby and the short-tailed kangaroo (quokka). For example, the body length of a mini-kangaroo, red-necked philander (lat. Thylogale thetis), reaches only 29-63 cm. At the same time, the animal’s tail grows to 27-51 cm. Average weight females are 3.8 kg, males – 7 kg.

Quokkas (lat. Setonix brachyurus) have overall body dimensions with a tail from 65 cm to 1.2 m. Their weight is less: females weigh from 1.6 kg, and the weight of males does not exceed 4.2 kg. The length of the body of the striped wallaby hare (lat. Lagostrophus fasciatus) is 40-45 cm, the tail length is 35-40 cm, and the mammal weighs from 1.3 to 2.1 kg.

Sign: On the left is the red-necked philander (lat. Thylogale thetis), photo author: Gaz, CC BY-SA 3.0. In the center is a quokka (lat. Setonix brachyurus), photo credit: SeanMack, CC BY-SA 3.0. On the right is a striped wallaby (Lagostrophus fasciatus), photo by John Gould, Public Domain.

Typically, male kangaroos are much larger in size than females. The growth of females stops soon after the start of reproduction, but males continue to grow, as a result of which old individuals are much larger than young ones. A female gray or red kangaroo weighing 15–20 kg, participating in reproduction for the first time, can be courted by a male who is 5–6 times larger than her. Sexual dimorphism is most pronounced in large species. In contrast, in small wallabies, adults of different sexes have similar sizes.

Large kangaroos are very interesting animals that are difficult not to recognize. Their head is small, with large ears and large almond-shaped eyes. The eyes are framed by long, dense eyelashes that reliably protect the cornea from dust. The animals' noses are black and bare.

The lower jaw of a kangaroo has a peculiar structure, its rear ends are bent inward. In total, the animals have 32 or 34 teeth, which do not have roots and are adapted to feeding on rough plant foods:

• one wide, forward-facing incisor on each half lower jaw;
• small blunt fangs, reduced in some species;
• 4 pairs of molars, replaced as they wear out and equipped with blunted tubercles. When the last teeth wear out, the animal begins to starve.

The kangaroo's neck is thin, rib cage narrow, the front legs seem to be underdeveloped, while the jumping legs are very strong and massive.

The kangaroo's tail, thick at the base and tapering towards the end, serves as a balancer when jumping, and in large individuals it serves as a support for the body during fights and sitting. It does not perform a grasping function. The length of a kangaroo's tail varies from 14.2 to 107 cm, depending on the species. The tail of the Philanderer is shorter and thicker, and also less furry than that of the wallaby.

Muscular thighs support the narrow pelvis of mammals. On the even longer bones of the lower leg, the muscles are not so developed, and the ankles are designed in such a way that they prevent the foot from turning to the side. During rest or slow movement, the animal's body weight is distributed over long narrow feet, creating the effect of plantigrade walking. However, when jumping, the kangaroo rests on only two toes - the 4th and 5th. The second and third fingers were reduced and turned into a single process with two claws used for cleaning fur. The first toe is completely lost.

As a result of the evolution of the rock wallaby, the soles of its hind legs are covered with thick hair, which helps the animal to stay on slippery, wet or grassy surfaces. Their body became massive, covered with coarse, thick hair.

Philanders and tree-wallabies are somewhat different from other kangaroos. Their hind legs are not large, like those of other kangaroos.

Left: Tasmanian pademelon, photo by fir0002, GFDL 1.2; right: Goodfellow's kangaroo (lat. Dendrolagus goodfellowi), photo credit: Richard Ashurst, CC BY 2.0

Latin name of the family Macropodidae received according to gender Macrop us, which includes the red kangaroo. From Latin this word is translated as “big-legged”. The term is quite appropriate for the largest mammal, moving by jumping on powerful hind legs. But this is not the only way of movement for representatives of the Kangaroo family. These mammals not only jump: they can also walk slowly on all fours, which move in pairs rather than alternately.

When large and medium-sized animals raise their hind legs to carry them forward, they rely on their tail and front paws. When jumping, kangaroos can reach speeds of 40-60 km/h, but over short distances. Since their method of movement is very energy-consuming, they get tired and slow down just 10 minutes after they start jumping quickly.

When resting, they sit on their hind legs, holding their body upright and leaning on their tail, or lie on their side. Animals lying on their sides rest on their forelimbs.

When large kangaroos escape from enemies, they make jumps 10-12 m long. They also jump over fences 3 meters high and “fly over” four-lane highways. They are helped by the Achilles tendons of the legs, which act like springs. At an average “running” speed (20 km/h), the kangaroo jumps a distance of 2-3 m.

Kangaroos are excellent swimmers, and they often escape from enemies in the water. At the same time, their legs make alternating, rather than paired movements.

The front paws of large kangaroos are small, with five movable toes on a short and wide hand. The fingers end in strong, sharp claws: animals actively work with them, take food, comb fur, grab enemies during defense, open the bag, dig wells, burrows and underground parts of plants. Large species also use the forelimbs for thermoregulation, licking their inner side: saliva, evaporating, cools the blood in the network of superficial vessels of the skin.

Soft, short (2-3 cm long), not shiny, thick kangaroo fur has a protective color. It comes in different shades of grey, yellow, black, brown or red. Many species have diffuse dark or light stripes: along the lower back, around the upper thigh, in the shoulder area, behind or between the eyes. The limbs and tail are often darker than the body, and the belly is usually light. Some rock and tree kangaroos have longitudinal or transverse stripes on their tails.

The males of some groups are brighter colored than the females: for example, the males of the red kangaroo are sandy-red in color, while the females are blue-gray or sandy-gray. But this dimorphism is not absolute: some males can be blue-gray, and females red. Hair color in each sex appears immediately after birth, rather than being the result of hormonal changes during puberty, as in many ungulates.

There are albino kangaroos with white fur.

Although marsupial bones are developed in both males and females, only the belly of the females of all kangaroos is equipped with a pouch that opens forward. It is needed to carry helpless newborn babies to term. At the top of the pouch there are muscles with which the female closes it tightly if necessary: ​​for example, so that the baby kangaroo does not choke while the mother is in the water.

How long do kangaroos live?

The average life expectancy of kangaroos in natural conditions is 4-6 years. Large species in nature can live 12-18 years, in captivity - 28 years.

What does a kangaroo eat?

Basically, kangaroos are herbivores. But among them there are also omnivorous species. Large red kangaroos feed on dry, tough and often thorny grass (for example, triodia (lat. Triodia)). Short-faced kangaroos eat mainly underground storage parts of plants: thickened roots, rhizomes, tubers and bulbs. They also eat the bodies of some fungi, playing an important role in the spread of their spores. Small wallabies, including hares and claw-tails, feed on grass leaves, seeds and fruits.

In moderately humid forests, the diet of kangaroos includes more fruits and leaves of dicotyledonous plants, which dominate the diet of tree kangaroos, swamp wallabies and philanders. Woody species can also eat eggs and chicks, cereals and even tree bark.

Different types of kangaroos eat alfalfa (lat. Medicago), clover (lat. Trifolium), ferns (lat. Polypodiophyta), eucalyptus leaves (lat. . Eucalyptus) and acacias (lat. Acacia), cereals and other plants. Red-legged Philanders enjoy eating the fruits of trees such as Ficusmacrophylla And Pleiogynium timorense, sometimes eat the leaves of ferns from the genus Nephrolepis (lat. Nephrolepis cordifolia), dendrobium orchids (lat. Dendrobium speciosum), nibble grass ( Paspalum notatum And Cyrtococcum oxyphyllum), periodically catch cicadas. Diet of the glove wallaby (lat. Macropus irma) includes plants such as carpobrotus edulis (lat. Carpobrotus edulis), pigweed (lat. Cynodon dactylon), Nuitsia profusely flowering (Christmas tree) ( lat . Nuytsia floribunda).

The smallest kangaroos are the most selective in their food preferences. They seek out high-quality foods, many of which require careful digestion. Large species, on the other hand, tolerate low-quality nutrition, consuming a wide range of plant species.

Kangaroos graze at different times of the day, depending on the weather. In the heat, they can lie in the shade all day, and at dusk they set off. These animals are very undemanding to water: they can not drink for a month or even more (up to 2-3 months), being content with the moisture of plants or licking dew from stones and grass. Wallaroo strip the bark from trees to drink their sap. In dry places, large kangaroos have learned to get to the water themselves. When they are thirsty, they dig wells up to a meter deep with their paws. These watering holes are used by many other animals: pink cockatoos (lat. Eolophus roseicapilla), marsupial martens (lat. Dasyurus), wild, etc.

The kangaroo's stomach is adapted to digesting rough plant foods. It is disproportionately large, complex, but not multi-chambered. Some Kangaroos regurgitate semi-digested gruel from the stomach and chew it again, as do ungulate ruminants. They are helped in breaking down fiber by up to 40 species of bacteria that live in different parts of their gastrointestinal tract. The role of fermentation agent in them is also performed by massively reproducing symbiotic yeast fungi.

At the zoo, kangaroos are fed herbs; the basis of their diet is rolled oats mixed with seeds, nuts, dried fruits and wheat crackers. The animals happily eat vegetables, corn and fruits.

Classification of kangaroos

According to the database www.catalogueoflife.org, the Kangaroo family (lat. Macropodidae) includes 11 genera and 62 modern looking(data from 04/28/2018):

• Genus Tree kangaroos (lat. Dendrolagus)
  • Dendrolagus bennettianus– Bennett's Kangaroo
  • Dendrolagus dorianus– Kangaroo Doria
  • Dendrolagus goodfellowi– Kangaroo Goodfellow
  • Dendrolagus inustus– Grey-haired tree kangaroo
  • Dendrolagus lumholtzi– Lumholtz's Kangaroo (Lumholtz)
  • Dendrolagus matschiei– Kangaroo Matches (Matshi)
  • Dendrolagus mbaiso– Tree wallaby, dingiso, bondegezoo
  • Dendrolagus pulcherrimus
  • Dendrolagus scottae– Papuan tree kangaroo
  • Dendrolagus spadix– Plains tree kangaroo
  • Dendrolagus stellarum
  • Dendrolagus ursinus– Bear kangaroo, bear-shaped kangaroo
• Genus Shrub kangaroos (lat. Dorcopsis)
  • Dorcopsis atrata– Black bush kangaroo, Goodenough kangaroo
  • Dorcopsis hageni– Hagen Kangaroo
  • Dorcopsis luctuosa
  • Dorcopsis muelleri
• Genus Forest kangaroos (lat. Dorcopsulus)
  • Dorcopsulus macleayi– Macleay's Kangaroo
  • Dorcopsulus vanheurni– Mountain bush kangaroo
• Genus Hare kangaroo (lat. Lagorchestes)
  • Lagorchestes asomatus– Small hare kangaroo
  • Lagorchestes conspicillatus– Spectacled kangaroo
  • Lagorchestes hirsutus– Shaggy kangaroo, tufted kangaroo
  • † Lagorchestes leporides– Long-eared kangaroo
• Genus Striped kangaroo (lat. Lagostrophus)
  • Lagostrophus fasciatus– Striped kangaroo, striped wallaby hare
• Genus Gigantic kangaroos (lat. Macropus)
  • Macropus fuliginosus– Western gray kangaroo
  • Macropus giganteus– Giant kangaroo, or giant gray kangaroo
  • Macropus (Notamacropus) agilis– Agile wallaby, agile kangaroo
  • Macropus (Notamacropus) dorsalis– Black-striped wallaby
  • Macropus (Notamacropus) eugenii– Eugenia Kangaroo, Eugenia Philander, Lady Kangaroo, Derby Kangaroo, Tamnar
  • Macropus (Notamacropus) irma– Glove Wallaby
  • Macropus (Notamacropus) parma– White-breasted philander, or white-breasted wallaby
  • Macropus (Notamacropus) parryi– Wallaby Parry
  • Macropus (Notamacropus) rufogriseus– Red-gray wallaby
  • Macropus (Osphranter) antilopinus– Antelope kangaroo, antelope kangaroo
  • Macropus (Osphranter) bernardus– Black wallaroo, aka Bernard's kangaroo
  • Macropus (Osphranter) robustus– Mountain kangaroo, mountain wallaroo, common wallaroo
  • Macropus (Osphranter) rufus– Red kangaroo, big red kangaroo, giant red kangaroo
  • † Macropus (Notamacropus) grayi– Gray's Kangaroo
• Genus Claw-tailed kangaroos, also known as nail-tailed kangaroos (lat. Onychogalea)
  • Onychogalea fraenata– Short-clawed kangaroo, bridle kangaroo, or dwarf kangaroo
  • Onychogalea unguifera– Flat-clawed kangaroo
  • †Onychogalea lunata– Lunar-clawed kangaroo, crescent-clawed kangaroo
• Genus Rock wallabies, rock kangaroos, rock kangaroos (lat. Petrogale)
  • Petrogale assimilis– Queensland rock wallaby
  • Petrogale brachyotis– Short-eared kangaroo, or short-eared wallaby
  • Petrogale burbidgei– Wallaby Barbage
  • Petrogale coenensis
  • Petrogale concinna– Pygmy rock wallaby
  • Petrogale godmani– Godman's Wallaby, Godman's Kangaroo
  • Petrogale herberti
  • Petrogale inornata– Spectacled rock wallaby
  • Petrogale lateralis– Black-footed rock wallaby
  • Petrogale mareeba
  • Petrogale penicillata– Brush-tailed rock-wallaby, brush-tailed rock-kangaroo, brush-tailed rock-wallaby
  • Petrogale persephone– Persephone's wallaby
  • Petrogale purpureicollis– Purple-necked wallaby
  • Petrogale rothschildi– Rothschild's wallaby, Rothschild's kangaroo
  • Petrogale sharmani
  • Petrogale xanthopus– Ring-tailed kangaroo, yellow-footed kangaroo, yellow-footed rock wallaby
• Genus Short-tailed kangaroos (lat. Setonix)
  • Setonix brachyurus– Quokka, short-tailed kangaroo
• Philander family (lat. Thylogale)
  • Thylogale billardierii– Tasmanian philander, red-bellied philander
  • Thylogale browni– Philander Brown
  • Thylogale brunii– New Guinea Philander
  • Thylogale calabyi Philander Calabi
  • Thylogale lanatus Mountain Philander
  • Thylogale stigmatica– Red-footed philander
  • Thylogale thetis– Red-necked philander
• Genus Wallaby (lat. Wallabia)
  • Wallabia bicolor– Swamp wallaby
  • † Wallabia indra
  • † Wallabia kitcheneris
• † Genus Watutia
  • † Watutia novaeguineae
• † Genus Dorcopsoides(Dorcopsoides)
  • † Dorcopsoides fossilis
• † Genus Kurrabi
  • † Kurrabi mahoneyi
  • † Kurrabi merriwaensis
  • † Kurrabi pelchenorum
• † Genus Procoptodon (lat. Procoptodon)

In what country do kangaroos live and on what continent are they found?

The habitat of modern kangaroos covers Australia, New Guinea and nearby small islands. Feral populations of some species are found in Great Britain, Germany, Hawaii and New Zealand. Several kangaroos escaped from zoos in the United States and France and founded their own colonies. And yet, according to German geneticists, the homeland of the kangaroo is South America, and their story begins from there. These animals are not found in Africa, America and Antarctica.

So, kangaroos live:

• In Australia;
• In New Guinea;
• In Hawaii, the brush-tailed rock wallaby (lat. Petrogale penicillata);
• In England and Germany there is a red-gray wallaby (lat. Macropus rufogriseus);
• The brush-tailed rock kangaroo (lat. Petrogale penicillata), red-gray kangaroo (lat. Macropus rufogriseus), white-breasted wallaby (lat. Macropus parma) and kangaroo Eugenia (lat. Macropus eugenii);
• On the island of Kawau lives the white-breasted wallaby (lat. Macropus parma);
• The red-gray kangaroo (lat. Macropus rufogriseus) and Tasmanian philander (lat. Thylogale billardierii);
• On Kangaroo Island there are western gray kangaroos (lat. Macropus fuliginosus) and Tasmanian kangaroo (lat. Thylogale billardierii);
• The quokka (lat. Setonix brachyurus).

Representatives of the genus Macropus are found in various natural areas: ranging from deserts to the edges of moist eucalyptus forests. Short-faced kangaroos are inhabitants of sparse forests, copses and grassy savannas. The distribution of representatives of the genera of bush, tree and forest kangaroos is limited to rain forests. Philanders also inhabit moist, dense forests, including eucalyptus. By the way, tree kangaroos are the only members of the family that live in trees. Hare and claw-tailed kangaroos live in deserts and semi-deserts, including bushland, savannas and sparse woodlands. Rock wallabies occupy territories that range from the desert zone of Central, Western and South Australia to tropical forests. They live among boulder rubble, rock outcrops and cliffs, where they hide during the day.

Kangaroo breeding

Some kangaroos breed seasonally, but most mate and give birth at any time of the year. On the day of estrus, the female may be accompanied by a string of passionate males, waging endless duels for the opportunity to leave offspring.

Kangaroos fight brutally, as if in a fight without rules. Leaning on their tails, they stand on their hind legs and, like wrestlers, clasp each other with their forelimbs. To win, you need to knock your opponent to the ground and beat him with his hind legs. Sometimes kangaroo fights end in severe injuries.

Males of many species of large kangaroos leave scent marks. They mark grass, bushes and trees with secretions from their throat glands. They leave the same “traces” on the female’s body during the courtship period, showing rivals that this is his chosen one. A specific secretion in males is also produced in the cloaca, which passes through the ducts into urine or feces.

Females of large kangaroos begin to reproduce at 2-3 years, when they grow to half the length of an adult animal, and remain reproductively active until 8-12 years. Male kangaroos reach sexual maturity soon after females, but in larger species they are not allowed to breed by adult males. The hierarchical position of kangaroos is determined by their overall size, and, consequently, age. In gray kangaroos, the dominant male in a given area can perform up to half of all matings in his area. But he can maintain his special status only for a year, and to achieve it he must live 8–10 years. Most males never mate at all, and very few reach the top of the hierarchy.

On average, the gestation period for kangaroos lasts 4 weeks. More often they give birth to only one cub, less often two, large red kangaroos (lat. Macropus rufus) bring up to 3 kangaroos. Kangaroos are mammals that do not have a placenta. Due to its absence, the embryos develop in the yolk sac of the female uterus, and kangaroo cubs are born underdeveloped and tiny, only 15-25 mm long and weighing from 0.36 - 0.4 grams (in quokkas and philanders) to 30 grams (in gray kangaroo). In fact, these are still embryos, similar to mucous lumps. They are so small that they can fit in a tablespoon. At birth, a baby kangaroo does not have formed eyes, hind limbs and tail. The birth of such small cubs does not require much effort from the female; she sits on the rump, extending her tail between her hind limbs, and licks the fur between the cloaca and the pouch. Kangaroos give birth very quickly.

This is what a newborn kangaroo looks like, having already crawled into the pouch and sucked on its mother’s nipple. Photo credit: Geoff Shaw, CC BY-SA 3.0

Using strong forelimbs, a newly born calf, without outside help, guided by the smell of milk, climbs up the mother’s fur into her pouch in an average of 3 minutes. There, a small kangaroo attaches itself to one of the 4 nipples and continues to develop for 150-320 days (depending on the species), remaining attached to it.

The newborn itself is not able to suck milk at first: it is fed by the mother, regulating the flow of fluid with the help of muscles. The special structure of the larynx helps the baby not to choke. If during this period the baby kangaroo accidentally breaks away from the nipple, it may die of starvation. The bag serves as a cuvette chamber in which its development is completed. It provides the newborn with the necessary temperature and humidity.

When a small kangaroo leaves the nipple, in many large species the mother allows him to leave the pouch for short walks, returning it back when moving. She forbids him to enter the pouch only before the birth of a new cub, but he continues to follow her and can stick his head into the pouch to suckle.

The amount of milk changes as the baby grows. The mother simultaneously feeds the baby kangaroo in the pouch and the previous one, but with different amounts of milk and from different nipples. This is possible due to the fact that skin secretion in each mammary gland is independently regulated by hormones.

A few days after giving birth, the female is ready to mate again. If she becomes pregnant, the embryo stops developing. This diapause lasts about a month until the baby in the pouch leaves it. Then the embryo continues its development.

Two days before the birth, the mother does not allow the previous kangaroo to climb into the pouch. The baby perceives this rebuff with difficulty, since he was previously taught to return at the first call. Meanwhile, the female kangaroo cleans and prepares her pocket for the next baby. During the dry season, the embryo remains in a state of diapause until the rainy season arrives.

Lifestyle of a kangaroo in the wild

Surely everyone knows the redhead Australian kangaroo, which gallops through the desert regions of the mainland. But this is only one of 62 species of kangaroos. Desert-adapted herbivores such as the red kangaroo appeared 5-15 million years ago. Before this, Australia was covered with forests, and the ancestors of the representatives of this amazing family lived in trees.

Most kangaroos are solitary animals, with the exception of females with cubs that form a family. Brush-tailed kangaroos make shelters in burrows that they dig on their own, and settle there in small colonies. And yet these animals cannot be called truly social. Solitary kangaroo subfamily Macropodinae who do not use permanent shelters (mostly we are talking about small species living in areas with dense vegetation) behave in the same way, but the union between the female and her last offspring can last many weeks after the cessation of milk feeding. Rock kangaroos take refuge during the day in crevices or piles of stones, forming colonies. At the same time, males try to prevent other suitors from entering the shelter of their females. In some species of rock kangaroos, males team up with one or more females, but they do not always feed together. Male tree kangaroos guard trees used by one or more females.

Large species of kangaroo live in herds. Some of them form groups of 50 or more individuals. Membership in such a group is free, and animals can leave and rejoin it repeatedly. Individuals of certain age categories usually tend to live nearby. The characteristics of a female’s socialization are determined by the stage of development of her kangaroo: females whose babies are ready to leave the pouch avoid meeting other females in the same position. Males move from one group to another more often than females and use larger habitat areas. They are not territorial and move widely, checking a large number of female individuals.

Large social kangaroos live in open areas and used to be attacked by land and aerial predators such as dingoes, wedge-tailed eagle or the now extinct marsupial wolf. Living in a group gives kangaroos the same benefits as many other social animals. Thus, dingoes have fewer opportunities to approach a large group, and kangaroos can spend more time feeding.

Kangaroo and man

Under favorable conditions, kangaroos reproduce very quickly, which greatly worries Australian farmers. In Australia, from 2 to 4 million large kangaroos and wallaroos are killed annually, as they are considered pests of pastures and crops. Shooting is licensed and regulated. When kangaroo country was settled by the first Europeans, these marsupial mammals were less numerous, and from 1850 to 1900 many scientists feared they might become extinct. The development of pastures and watering holes for sheep and cattle, together with a decrease in the number of dingoes, led to the flourishing of kangaroos.

These animals were once the prey of the aborigines, who hunted mammals with spears and boomerangs. Small wallabies were driven out by fire or driven into prepared traps. In New Guinea they were pursued with bows and arrows, and now they are being killed with firearms. In many areas, hunting has reduced populations and pushed tree kangaroos and other restricted species to the brink of extinction. In most of Australia, outside rain or wet hardwood forests, the number of kangaroo species weighing less than 5–6 kg declined in the 19th century. On the mainland, some of these species have disappeared or have had their range greatly reduced, although they have managed to survive on the islands. The extinction was caused by habitat destruction and the importation of livestock and foxes. Foxes, introduced for sport hunting into the state of Victoria in 1860 - 1880, quickly spread throughout the sheep-raising areas, feeding mainly on introduced animals, but they also began to use short-faced kangaroos and wallabies as prey. Only where foxes have now been eliminated are kangaroos at the peak of population development and have restored their numbers.

Kangaroos are the best jumpers on our planet: the length of one jump is three meters in height and about twelve in length. They move in huge leaps at a speed of about 50 km/h, pushing off the surface with strong hind legs, while an important role is played by the tail, which plays the role of balance and helps maintain balance.

Therefore, it is impossible to catch up with the animal, especially since during its flight it is capable of anything: once a large red kangaroo, fleeing from farmers, jumped over a three-meter fence. If someone who wants to taste kangaroo meat is lucky enough to overtake him, the marsupial will use its hind legs. To do this, it will transfer the entire weight of the body to the tail, and, freeing both hind legs, inflict terrible wounds on the enemy.

Kangaroos are called marsupial mammals from the order of two-incisors (they have two large incisors on the lower jaw). This word is used in two meanings:

1. It is applied in a broad aspect to all representatives of the kangaroo family, which ranges from 46 to 55 species. Includes a family of herbivores that move by jumping, have undeveloped front legs and, conversely, extremely developed hind legs, and also have a strong tail that helps maintain balance while moving. Because of this structure, the animal’s body is in an upright position, resting on its tail and hind legs. Thus, three species are distinguished: kangaroo rats - the smallest individuals; wallabies are medium in size, outwardly resembling a smaller copy of large animals; Large kangaroos are marsupials of Australia.
2. They call the most major representatives marsupials from the long-legged family, which are the unofficial symbol of Australia: they can be seen on the coat of arms and coins.

Representatives of the family live both in arid regions and tropical forests in Australia, Tasmania, New Guinea, and the Bismarck Islands. At the end of the XIX - beginning of the XX century. took root well in Germany and England, reproduced successfully and even tolerated it well snowy winters, but they were powerless against poachers, who completely exterminated them.

Description

Depending on the species, representatives of the family have a length from 25 cm (plus 45 cm - tail) to 1.6 m (tail - 1 m), and weigh from 18 to 100 kg. The largest individual is considered to be the resident of the Australian continent - the great red kangaroo, and the heaviest is the eastern gray kangaroo. The fur of marsupials is soft, thick, and can be gray, black, red and their shades.

The kangaroo is an interesting animal because its upper part is poorly developed. The head is small, the muzzle can be either long or short. The shoulders are narrow, the front legs are short, weak, hairless, have five fingers, but are armed with very sharp claws. The fingers are very mobile and the animal uses them for grasping, feeding, and combing fur.

But the lower part of the body is developed: the hind legs, a long thick tail, the hips are very strong, the foot has four toes, while the second and third are connected by a membrane, the fourth has a strong claw.

This structure makes it possible to successfully defend itself using powerful blows with its hind legs, and move quickly (in this case, the tail replaces the marsupial’s steering wheel). These animals are unable to move backwards; their tail and the shape of their hind legs do not allow them to do so.

Lifestyle

Marsupials prefer to be nocturnal, appearing in the pastures at dusk. During the day they rest in burrows, nests made of grass or in the shade of trees.

If one of the animals notices any danger (for example, a dingo dog wants to taste kangaroo meat), the message about this is immediately transmitted to the rest of the pack by striking the ground with its hind legs. They often use sounds to convey information - grunting, sneezing, clicking, hissing.

If the area has favorable living conditions (abundance of food, absence of danger), marsupials may well form a large community of one hundred individuals. But, usually they live in small flocks, which consist of a male, several females and kangaroo chicks growing in the pouch. At the same time, the male very jealously protects the flock from other males, and if they try to join, fierce fights occur.

These animals are characterized by attachment to a certain territory, and they prefer not to leave it without special reasons (the exception is the huge red kangaroo animals, which are able to travel several tens of kilometers in search of the best feeding areas).

Despite the fact that marsupials are not particularly smart, they are very resourceful and know how to adapt well: if their usual food is no longer enough, they switch to other foods, eating plants that even animals that are not picky about food (for example, dry, hard food) do not eat. and even prickly grass).

Nutrition

Marsupials feed on leaves of trees and shrubs, bark, roots, shoots; some species hunt insects and worms. They either dig up food or cut it off with their teeth, and it is worth noting that they usually either do not have upper fangs at all, or they are poorly developed, but they have two large incisors on the lower jaw (another interesting fact is that they, in Unlike most mammals, teeth are constantly changing).

Marsupials are very well adapted to drought, so they can easily go for several days and even months without water (they take most of the liquid from plant foods).

If they still feel very thirsty, they dig a well a meter deep with their paws and get to the precious moisture (at the same time helping other animals suffering from lack of water). During this time, they try not to waste energy: during the dry months, they move less and spend more time in the shade.

Reproduction

The ability to reproduce begins as early as one and a half to two years (they live from 9 to 18 years; cases have been recorded where individual specimens lived to be thirty). At the same time, males fight so fiercely for the female that the collision often ends in severe injuries.

A female usually gives birth to only one baby kangaroo, less often twins. Before the baby is born, the mother carefully licks the pouch (a fold of skin on the abdomen intended for the development of a baby kangaroo) and makes it clean.

Pregnancy lasts from one to one and a half months, so the baby kangaroo is born blind, without hair, its weight does not exceed one gram, and its length is no more than three centimeters in large species. As soon as it is born, it immediately clings to its mother’s fur and crawls into the pouch, in which it spends about eleven months.

In the pouch, he immediately grabs one of the four nipples and does not tear himself away from it for two and a half months (at the initial stage, he is not yet able to suck milk; the liquid is released on its own under the influence of a special muscle). By this time, the baby is developing, growing up, gaining sight, growing fur and begins to leave the shelter for a short time, while he is very alert and jumps back at the slightest sound.

After the baby kangaroo begins to leave the pouch for a long time (between 6 and 11 months of age), the mother gives birth to the next baby. Interestingly, the female is able to delay the birth of a baby kangaroo until the previous baby leaves the pouch (it is either too small, or there are unfavorable weather conditions, for example, drought). And then, in case of danger, he will remain in shelter for several more months.

And here an interesting picture is observed when the female begins to produce two types of milk: from one nipple the already grown cub receives fattier milk, from the other the newborn feeds on milk with less fat content.

Relationships with people

In nature, the large kangaroo has few enemies: kangaroo meat only attracts foxes, dingoes and birds of prey(and even then, marsupials are quite capable of protecting themselves with the help of their hind legs). But relations with humans are tense: pastoralists, not without reason, accuse them of damaging crops in pastures, and therefore shoot them or scatter poisonous baits.

In addition, most species (only nine are protected by law) are allowed to be hunted to regulate numbers: kangaroo meat, which contains a huge amount of protein and only 2% fat. It is worth noting that kangaroo meat has long been one of the main sources of food for the natives. Clothes, shoes and other products are made from animal skins. Animals are often hunted for sport, so many species are found only in uninhabited areas