Where do kangaroos live? Their way of life. How long do kangaroos live? Curious Kangaroo Facts A small kangaroo with beautiful eyes is called

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

In total, there are more than 60 species of kangaroos - from dwarf ones, no larger than a hare, to giant ones, whose growth reaches 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 kangaroo
red kangaroo
wallaby
Philanders
Potoru

Kangaroos live throughout Australia, New Guinea and the islands.

Potoroo (10 species) in addition to Australia are also found in Tasmania. They inhabit rainforests, moist hardwood forests and bushes.

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

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.

The red kangaroo and other representatives of the genus Macropus (gray kangaroo, common wallaroo, nimble wallaby, etc.) are found from deserts to the outskirts of Australia's humid eucalyptus forests.

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

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

What does a kangaroo look like? Description of the animal

The kangaroo has a long massive tail, thin neck, narrow shoulders. The hind limbs are very well developed. Long, muscular thighs accentuate a narrow pelvis. On the even longer bones of the lower leg, the muscles are not so strongly developed, and the ankles are designed in such a way that they prevent the foot from turning to the side. When the animal is resting or moving slowly, its mass is distributed over long, narrow feet, which creates the effect of a stop-walk. However, when this marsupial jumps, it rests only on 2 toes - the fourth and fifth, while the second and third fingers are reduced and turned into one process with two claws - they are used to clean wool. The first finger is completely lost.

The front limbs 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. With their front paws, animals can grab food particles and manipulate them. In addition, they open the bag with them, and also comb the fur. Large species also use the forelimbs for thermoregulation: they lick their inner side, while saliva, evaporating, cools the blood in the network of superficial skin vessels.

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 blurred light or dark stripes down the back, around the upper thighs, around the shoulders, 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 than females. So, for example, male red kangaroos are sandy-red, while females are blue-gray or sandy-gray.

The body length of these marsupials is from 28 cm (for musk) to 180 cm (for 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 jumping on their hind legs. They can jump very far and fast. The usual length of the jump is 2-3 meters in height, and 9-10 meters in length! They can reach speeds up to 65 km / h.

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

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 terrestrial and aerial predators such as dingoes, wedge-tailed eagles and marsupials (which are now extinct). Living in a group gives marsupials undeniable advantages. So, for example, dingoes are unlikely to approach a large herd, and kangaroos can spend more time feeding. The size of the groups depends on the density of the population, the nature of the habitat and other factors.

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

As a rule, kangaroos do not have dwellings, with the exception of musky kangaroo rats. Some species, such as the brush-tailed ones, take refuge in burrows that they dig themselves. Rock kangaroos hide for the day in crevices or piles of stones, forming colonies.

Kangaroos are usually most active during the 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 diet is plant foods, including grass, leaves, fruits, seeds, bulbs, mushrooms and rhizomes. Some smaller species, notably the potoroo, often diversify their plant-based diet with invertebrates and beetle larvae.

Short-faced kangaroos prefer the underground parts of plants - roots, rhizomes, tubers and bulbs. It 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 fruits. In general, plants of many species are eaten: marsupials eat their various parts depending on the season.

Wallaroo, red and gray kangaroos prefer the leaves of herbaceous plants, not missing also the seeds of cereals and other monocots. Interestingly, large species can only eat grass.

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

Procreation. The life of a kangaroo in a bag

In some species of kangaroo, the mating season is timed to a certain season, while others can breed 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 reproductive activity up to 8-12 years. Some rat kangaroos are ready to breed as early as 10-11 months old. Males reach sexual maturity a little later than females, but in large species, older individuals do not allow their participation in reproduction.

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

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

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

The grown up kangaroo continues to follow the mother and can stick its head into the bag to feast on milk.

This baby in a bag is already able to move independently

The period of milk feeding lasts many months in large species, but is rather short in small rat kangaroos. As the baby grows, the amount of milk changes. At the same time, the mother can simultaneously feed the kangaroo in the bag 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 is independently regulated by hormones. In order for the older cub to grow quickly, it receives full-fat milk, while the newborn in the pouch is provided with skim milk.

In all species, only one cub is born, with the exception of the musky kangaroo, which often has twins and even triplets.

conservation in nature

Australian farmers annually kill about 3 million large kangaroos and wallaras, because they are considered pests of pastures and crops. Shooting is licensed and regulated.

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

In contact with

Kangaroos are amazing and unique representatives of the animal world of our planet, a kind of visiting card of Australia. Previously unknown to Europeans, these animals were discovered only with the discovery of Australia itself by the Dutch navigator Willem Janszoon in 1606. And from the first meeting, kangaroos (as well as other unique representatives of the Australian fauna) struck the imagination of Europeans, who had never met such peculiar animals anywhere before. Even the origin of the very name of these creatures - "kangaroo" is very curious.

Etymology of the word "kangaroo"

It is believed that the name "kangaroo" came to us from the language of the Australian aborigines, but there are several versions of this. According to one of them, when the team of the English navigator James Cook went deep into the Australian continent and met a kangaroo, the British asked the local natives what kind of strange creatures they were, to which the answer was “kangaroo”, which in their language meant “keng” - jumping "Uru" means four-legged.

According to another version, "kangaroo" in the language of the natives simply meant "I do not understand." According to the third, the natives simply repeated the phrase “can you tell me” (can you tell me) after the British, which, in their performance, was actually transformed into “kangaroo”.

Be that as it may, linguists have established that the word “kangaroo” first appeared in the language of the Australian Guugu-Yimithirr tribe, as the natives called black and gray kangaroos, and literally it meant “big jumper”. And after the British met them, the name kangaroo spread to all Australian kangaroos.

Kangaroo: description, structure, characteristics. What does a kangaroo look like?

Kangaroos are mammals that belong to the order of Dictator marsupials, and the Kangaroo family. Their close relatives are also kangaroo rats or potoroo about which there will be a separate article on our website.

The kangaroo family includes 11 genera and 62 species, among which there are rare and endangered ones. Smaller kangaroo species are also sometimes referred to as wallaroos or wallabies. The largest eastern gray kangaroo is 3 meters long and weighs 85 kg. While the smallest of the kangaroo family are philanders, striped wallabies and short-tailed kangaroos reach only 29-63 cm and weigh 3-7 kg. At the same time, the tail of these animals can be an additional 27-51 cm.

At the same time, interestingly, male kangaroos are many times larger than females, in which growth stops after puberty, while males continue to grow further. It is not uncommon for a female gray or red kangaroo, which is involved in breeding for the first time, to be courted by a male 5 or even 6 times larger than her.

Surely everyone has seen what large kangaroos look like: their head is small, but with large ears and no less large almond-like eyes. Kangaroo eyes have eyelashes that protect their corneas from dust. The nose of a kangaroo is black.

The lower jaw of a kangaroo has an unusual structure, its rear ends are bent inward. How many teeth does a kangaroo have? Depending on the species, the number of teeth ranges from 32 to 34. Moreover, the teeth of a kangaroo are devoid of roots and are perfectly adapted for coarse plant foods.

The front legs of the kangaroo seem to be not fully developed, but the hind legs are very strong, it is thanks to them that the kangaroos make their signature jumps. But the thick and long tail of a kangaroo is not for beauty alone, thanks to him these creatures balance when jumping, and it is also a support while sitting and fighting. The length of the tail of a kangaroo, depending on the species, can be from 14 to 107 cm.

During rest or movement, the weight of the animal's body is distributed on long, narrow feet, creating the effect of a stop-walk. But when kangaroos jump, only two fingers of each foot are used for jumping - the 4th and 5th. And the 2nd and 3rd fingers are one process with two claws, they are used by kangaroos to clean their fur. The first toe of their foot, alas, is completely lost.

The small front paws of the kangaroo have five movable fingers on a wide and short hand. At the ends of these fingers there are sharp claws that serve kangaroos for a variety of purposes: they take food with them, scratch their fur, grab enemies in self-defense, dig holes, etc. And large species of kangaroos also use their front paws for thermoregulation , licking them from the inside, after which saliva, and thus cools the blood in the network of superficial vessels.

Large kangaroos move by jumping with their strong hind legs, but jumping is not the only way these animals move. In addition to jumping, kangaroos can also walk slowly using all four limbs, which at the same time move in pairs, and not alternately. How fast can kangaroos develop? With the use of jumps, large kangaroos can easily move at a speed of 40-60 km per hour, while making jumps 10-12 m long. At this speed, they not only escape from enemies, but sometimes jump over three-meter fences and even Australian highways. True, since such a jumping method of movement for kangaroos is very energy-consuming, after 10 minutes of such running and jumping, they begin to get tired and, as a result, slow down.

An interesting fact: kangaroos are not only excellent sprinters, jumpers, but also good swimmers, in the water they also often escape from enemies.

When resting, they sit on their hind legs. The body is held upright and supported by the tail. Or they lie on their side, leaning on their forelimbs.

All kangaroos have soft, thick, but short fur. Kangaroo fur is in different shades of yellow, brown, gray or red. Some species have dark or light stripes on the lower back, in the shoulder area, behind or between the eyes. Moreover, the tail and limbs are usually darker than the body, while the belly, on the contrary, is lighter. Rocky and tree kangaroos sometimes have longitudinal or transverse stripes on their tails. And in some species of kangaroo, males are brighter than females, but this sexual dimorphism is not absolute.

Albino kangaroos are also very rare in nature.

The females of all kangaroos have branded bags on their stomachs in which they carry their cubs - this is one of the most striking and unique features of these animals. At the top of the kangaroo pouch there are muscles with which the mother kangaroo can tightly close the pouch if necessary, for example while swimming, so that the little kangaroo does not suffocate.

Kangaroos also have a sound apparatus, with which they are able to make different sounds: hiss, cough, grunt.

How long do kangaroos live

On average, kangaroos live in natural conditions for about 4-6 years. Some large species can live up to 12-18 years.

What does a kangaroo eat

All kangaroos are herbivores, although there are several omnivorous species among them. So, for example, tree kangaroos can eat the eggs of birds and the little chicks themselves, cereals and tree bark. Large red kangaroos feed on Australian thorny grass, short-faced kangaroos eat the roots of some plants and some types of fungi, at the same time playing an important role in the spread of spores of these same fungi. Smaller kangaroo species like to eat grass, leaves, seeds as food. At the same time, they are more picky in their diet than their large counterparts - they can spend hours looking for suitable grass, when any vegetation is suitable for undemanding large kangaroos.

Interestingly, kangaroos are not very demanding on water, so they can do without it for up to a month, being content with moisture from plants and dew.

In zoos, kangaroos feed on grasses, and the basis of their diet in captivity is rolled oats mixed with seeds, nuts and dried fruits. They also enjoy eating various fruits and corn.

Where do kangaroos live

Of course, in Australia you say, and of course you will be right. But not only there, in addition to it, kangaroos can be found in neighboring New Zealand, and some nearby islands: in New Guinea, Tasmania, Hawaii and the island of Kawau and some other islands.

Also, different climatic zones are chosen as habitats for kangaroos, from the deserts of central Australia to humid eucalyptus forests along the outskirts of this continent. Among them, tree kangaroos can be distinguished, the only representatives of this family that live on trees, they naturally live exclusively in forests, while, for example, hare and claw-tailed kangaroos, on the contrary, prefer desert and semi-desert areas.

Kangaroo lifestyle in the wild

Tree kangaroos, mentioned by us in the last paragraph, are closest to the common ancestors of all kangaroos that lived in trees in the old days, after which, in the process of evolution, all species of kangaroos, with the exception of tree kangaroos, descended to the ground.

The lifestyle of kangaroos differs depending on the species, so small kangaroos lead a solitary lifestyle, with the exception of females with children who create a family, but only until the moment the little kangaroos grow up. The males and females of these kangaroos unite only for the duration of the mating season to procreate, then scatter again and live and feed separately. During the day, they usually lie in secluded places, waiting out the heat of the day, and in the evening or at night they go out in search of food.

But large species of kangaroos, on the contrary, are herd animals, sometimes forming large herds of 50-60 individuals. However, membership in such a herd is free and animals can easily leave it and rejoin it. It is curious that individuals of a certain age tend to live together, but it also happens vice versa, for example, a female kangaroo whose cub is preparing to leave the bag avoids other kangaroo mothers who are in exactly the same position.

Living in a large herd of large kangaroos, it is easier to resist potential predators, primarily wild dingoes and the marsupial (now extinct) that once lived in Australia.

Enemies of kangaroos in nature

Since ancient times, Australian predators have been natural enemies of kangaroos: wild dog dingo, marsupial wolf, various birds of prey (they hunt only small kangaroos or small cubs of large kangaroos), as well as large snakes. Although the big kangaroos themselves are able to stand up well for themselves - the impact force of their hind legs is enormous, there were cases when people fell with a broken skull from their blow (yes, these cute herbivorous kangaroos can be dangerous for humans). Well aware of this danger of the dog, dingoes hunt kangaroos exclusively in packs, in order to avoid the deadly blows of kangaroo paws, dingoes have their own technique - they deliberately drive kangaroos into the water, trying to drown.

But perhaps the most ferocious enemies of these animals are neither wild dingoes nor birds of prey, but ordinary midges, appearing in large numbers after rains, they mercilessly sting kangaroos in the eyes, so that they sometimes even lose their sight for a while. Sand and worms also plague our Australian jumpers.

Kangaroo and man

Under good conditions, kangaroos breed very quickly, which worries Australian farmers, as they have a bad habit of destroying their crops. Therefore, in Australia, controlled shooting of large kangaroos is carried out annually in order to protect the crops of Australian farmers from them. Interestingly, at the beginning of the last century, the population of large kangaroos was smaller than now, and the increase in their number in Australia was facilitated by a decrease in the number of their natural enemies - dingoes.

But the uncontrolled destruction of some other species of kangaroos, especially tree kangaroos, has put a number of their species on the brink of extinction. Also, many small Australian kangaroos suffered from those brought to Australia by Europeans at the end of the 19th century for sport hunting. Foxes, having found themselves on a new continent, quickly realized that they could hunt not only the same rabbits imported from Europe, but also local small kangaroos.

Types of kangaroos, photos and names

As we wrote above, there are as many as 62 types of kangaroos, and further we will describe the most interesting of them.

This is the largest representative of the kangaroo family and at the same time the largest marsupial in the world. Lives in dry areas of Australia. It has a red coat color, although among females there are individuals with gray hair. The length of a large red kangaroo can reach 2 meters with a weight of 85 kg.

And the big red kangaroo is an excellent "boxer", pushing the enemy away with his front paws, he can hit him with his strong hind limbs. Of course, such a blow does not bode well.

Also known as the forest kangaroo, it got its name because of the habit of settling in wooded places. This is the second largest kangaroo, its body length is 1.8 meters and weighs 85 kg. In addition to Australia, it also lives in Tasmania and the Mari and Fraser Islands. It is this type of kangaroo that holds the record for jumping distance - it is able to bend down to a distance of 12 m. It is also the fastest among kangaroos, it can move at speeds up to 64 km per hour. It has a gray-brown color, and its muzzle covered with hair resembles that of a hare.

This species is found exclusively in southwestern Australia. It is of medium size, its body length is 1.1 m. The color is brown or pale gray. The people of this kangaroo are also called the stink kangaroo for the pungent smell that comes from the males.

He is an ordinary wallar. It differs from its other relatives by powerful shoulders and shorter hind limbs and a massive physique. It lives in the rocky regions of Australia. It has a body length of 1.5 m, and an average weight of 35 kg. The coat color of this kangaroo is dark brown in males, while females are slightly lighter.

Another name for this species is quokka. It belongs to small kangaroos, its body length is only 40-90 cm and weighs up to 4 kg. That is, they are the size of a normal one, with a small tail and small hind limbs. The curve of the mouth of this kangaroo resembles a smile, which is why it is also called the "smiling kangaroo". It lives in arid places with grassy vegetation.

He is a wallaby hare, is the only species of striped kangaroo. It is currently listed as critically endangered. Once striped kangaroos lived in Australia, but at the present time their population has survived only on the islands of Bernier and Dorr, now declared protected areas. It has a small size, its body length is 40-45 cm, with a weight of up to 2 kg. It differs not only in a striped color, but also in an elongated muzzle with a hairless nasal mirror.

Kangaroo breeding

In some species of kangaroo, the mating season occurs at a certain time, but in most representatives of the kangaroo family, mating occurs all year round. Usually, for the female, the males arrange real kangaroo fights without rules. In some ways, their fights resemble human boxing - leaning on their tails, they stand on their hind legs, trying to clasp the enemy with their front legs. To win, you need to knock him to the ground and beat him with his hind legs. Not surprisingly, such "duels" often end in severe injuries.

Male kangaroos have a habit of leaving odorous marks from their saliva, and they leave them not only on the grass, bushes, trees, but also on ... the female, in such a simple way giving other males a signal that this female belongs to him.

Puberty in female kangaroos occurs after two years, in males a little later, however, young males, due to their still small size, have little chance of mating with a female. And the older the male kangaroo, the larger it is, which means more strength and chances to win in the fight for females. In some species of kangaroo, it even happens that the largest and strongest alpha male performs up to half of all matings in the herd.

Pregnancy of female kangaroo lasts 4 weeks. At a time, one cub is usually born, less often two. And only large red kangaroos can give birth to up to three cubs at the same time. Interestingly, kangaroos do not have a placenta, because of this, small kangaroos are born underdeveloped and very tiny. In fact, they are still embryos. After birth, the baby kangaroo is placed in the mother's pouch, where it sticks to one of the four nipples. In this position, he spends the next 150-320 days (depending on the species), continuing his development. Since a newborn kangaroo is not able to suck milk on his own, all this time his mother feeds him, regulating the flow of milk with the help of muscles. Interestingly, if during this period the cub suddenly comes off the nipple, it may even die of hunger. In fact, the mother-kangaroo bag serves as a place for the baby to further develop, provides him with the necessary temperature and humidity, helps him grow and get stronger.

Over time, the baby kangaroo grows up and becomes able to crawl out of the mother's pouch. Nevertheless, the mother carefully monitors her baby and, when moving or in case of danger, returns him back to the bag. And only when the female kangaroo has a new cub, the previous one will be forbidden to climb into the mother's bag. For a while, he will stick only his head in there to suck milk. Curiously, a female kangaroo is able to feed both an older and a younger cub at the same time, and give them different amounts of milk from different nipples. Over time, the cub grows and becomes a full-fledged adult kangaroo.

• Back in the 19th century, people believed that small kangaroos grow right in the mother's pouch, on the nipple.
• Australian aborigines have been eating kangaroo meat since ancient times, especially since it has a high protein content and is low in fat.
• And from kangaroo skin, dense and thin, sometimes I make bags, wallets, sew jackets.
• The female kangaroo has as many as three vaginas, the middle one is intended for the birth of cubs, and the two side ones are for mating.
• A kangaroo, along with an ostrich, adorn the coat of arms of the Commonwealth of Australia. And not just like that, they symbolize the movement forward, the fact is that neither the ostrich nor the kangaroo, due to their biological characteristics, simply do not know how to back away.

Kangaroo video

And in conclusion, an interesting documentary from the BBC - "The ubiquitous kangaroos."

(small), wallabies (medium) and large kangaroos. Systematically, the family is divided into three subfamilies: musky kangaroo rats (Hypsiprymnodontinae), true kangaroo rats (Potoropinae) and kangaroos (Macropodinae). Body length 25-160 cm, tail 15-105 cm, body weight 1.4-90 kg. The head is relatively small, with a short or long muzzle. The ears are large or short. In all kangaroos, with the exception of tree kangaroos, the hind limbs are much longer and stronger than the front ones. Front five-fingered, with large claws. There is no first finger on the hind limbs (only musky kangaroos have it), the second and third are connected by a leathery membrane, the fourth is large, with a powerful claw, the fifth is of moderate length. The tail is strong, covered with hair, and in most species is not grasping. In a standing kangaroo, it performs the function of an additional support, and during jumps - a balancer. The fur is thick and soft, black, gray or red in different shades. Brood bag opens forward. There are 4 nipples, but usually 2 are functioning. Males have a single urogenital duct.

They are found in Australia, Tasmania, New Guinea and the Bismarck Archipelago. Acclimatized in New Zealand. They inhabit different types of landscapes. Terrestrial and arboreal animals.

The first European to see a kangaroo was the Dutch navigator F. Pelsart in 1629, whose ship ran aground near the western coast of Australia. D. Cook first saw a kangaroo in 1770, and it was he who gave the name to the beast. According to legend, when Cook asked the name of the jumping animal, the natives answered “kangaroo”. Cook decided that this was the name of the beast. In fact, in the language of the local tribe, it meant "I do not understand." In 1773, the first living kangaroo was sent to England as a gift to King George III. At the end of the 19th - beginning of the 20th centuries. attempts have been made to acclimate wallabies (in Germany) and gray giant kangaroos (in England). Kangaroos successfully bred and even endured harsh winters quite well. However, all of them were exterminated by poachers.

Kangaroos are active mainly at night. The day is spent in grass nests or burrows. They usually live in small groups consisting of a male and several females. Pregnancy lasts 22-40 days. There are 1-2 cubs in the litter, 7-25 mm in size, weighing 0.6-5.5 g. A newborn (almost an embryo) is practically devoid of hair, the hind limbs are poorly developed, bent and closed by the tail, claws are clearly visible on the forelimbs. While the eyes and ears of the embryo are completely undeveloped, it has open nostrils and a mature olfactory center in the brain. A newborn kangaroo makes its way to the bag, clinging to its mother's fur and orienting itself by smell. Between the moment of birth and the moment of attachment to the nipple in large kangaroos, 5-30 minutes pass. After attaching the cub, a thickening forms at the end of the nipple. It is impossible to separate a kangaroo from its nipple without damaging its mouth. Interestingly, the mother is more of a witness to the activity of the newborn than his assistant. Once in the mother's pouch, the kangaroo develops there for about six months, tightly adhering to the nipple. Then he starts to get out and try plant food, but he feeds on milk for another 1.5 months. In case of danger, it hides in a bag, the size of the inlet of which the mother can arbitrarily change.

Kangaroos are predominantly herbivores, but some also feed on insects and worms. With a calm movement, kangaroos make jumps up to 1.5 meters in length. Running away from danger, they jump 8-12 meters and reach speeds of up to 88 km / h, but quickly get tired. They can be easily overtaken even on a horse. Kangaroos have invented a peculiar way of fighting dogs. The animal pursued by the dogs runs into the water and waits for the approaching dog, then grabs it by the head and starts to drown. The dog immediately stops fighting and tries to jump ashore. If there is no water nearby, the kangaroo stands with its back to the tree and hits the enemy that runs up with its hind legs in the stomach. Small wallabies and cubs of large kangaroos can be eaten by a carpet python or wedge-tailed eagle. However, heat, drought and hunger are more terrible for kangaroos than predatory animals. To survive on dry, almost barren lands, kangaroos have learned to dig wells up to a meter deep. Kangaroo wells are used by wild pigeons, pink cockatoos, marsupial martens and emus. Small kangaroos live up to 8 years, medium ones up to 12 and large ones up to 16 years.

Musk kangaroo (Hypsiprymnodon moschatus), 1 species, body length 25 cm, tail 15 cm. Outwardly similar to a rat. The head is short, the muzzle is pointed, the ears are bare, slightly pointed. The tail is bare and covered with scales. The back is reddish-gray, the belly is yellowish. It lives in the north-east of Queensland in rainforests, shrubs, along the banks of rivers and lakes. Active during the day. Kept singly or in pairs. It usually walks on four legs. In moments of danger - only on the rear. It feeds on insects, plant roots and berries.

Included in the Red Book.

Large rat kangaroo (Aepyprymnus rufescens), 1 species. Body length 52, tail 38 cm. Ears are wide and rounded. The fur is coarse, reddish-gray on the back, white on the belly. Distributed from eastern Queensland to eastern New South Wales. It occupies coastal landscapes, steppes, savannahs and light forests. Leads a solitary life. Sleeps in a grass nest during the day. Feeds on plant roots. Prior to the introduction into Australia, European foxes were numerous.

Tree kangaroos (Dendrolagus Muller), 7 species. Body length 50-90 cm, tail 43-85 cm. Head short and wide. The hind limbs are slightly longer than the large and strong forelegs. The claws are powerful and strongly curved. The fur on the back is black, brown or gray, the hair points forward. The belly is white, yellow or red. They live in the forests of North Queensland and New Guinea. Able to jump from tree to tree up to 9 m in length. Herbivorous. Polygamists. 2 subspecies are listed in the Red Book.

Rocky Kangaroos (Petrogale Gray), 7 species. Body length 38-80, tail 35-90 cm, weight 3-9 kg. The head is elongated, the ears are long. The claw on the middle finger of the hind limb is short. The hair on the back is directed with the tops forward (except for the ring-tailed one), the fur on the back is reddish-brown or gray, on the belly it is white. The range covers almost all of Australia. They prefer rocky landscapes. The ring-tailed kangaroo (P. Xanthopus) is listed in the Red Book.

Gray gigantic kangaroo (Macropus giganteus), body length 1.5 m, tail 90 cm. Males are a quarter larger than females. Ears are large and mobile. The hind limbs are long and powerful. The tail is long, powerful, thick at the base. The fur on the back is orange-gray or brown-red, on the belly is light.

Distributed throughout eastern Australia. Its usual biotope is the eucalyptus savanna, where it grazes in groups of 30-50 individuals. Leads a nocturnal lifestyle. At the beginning of the year, the rut begins. At this time, fierce battles for possession of the female are possible between males. Pregnancy 30-40 days, 1 cub is born. 2 months kangaroo is in the mother's bag. In December, young kangaroos separate from their mothers and form a new flock.

Herbivorous. With a large number, it can cause significant damage to the crop. The peaceful and trusting nature of the gray kangaroo makes it a frequent prey for hunters. Fleeing, it is able to jump up to 9 m in length.

The large red kangaroo (Macropus rufus) is found throughout Australia. Characterized by sexual dimorphism. The females are pale grey, the males are reddish-brown. Males have skin glands on the neck and chest that secrete a pink secretion. During the mating season, the hair on their neck acquires a pinkish tint. The red kangaroo prefers the vast inland plains, where it keeps in herds of 10-12 individuals. In places it is numerous and harms agriculture. It is the red kangaroo who uses boxing "techniques" to sort things out. Well tamed, friendly.

Kangaroos are the most famous marsupials, which personify the entire order of Marsupials in general. Nevertheless, the vast family of kangaroos, numbering about 50 species, stands apart in this order and keeps many secrets.

Red kangaroo (Macropus rufus).

Outwardly, kangaroos do not look like any animal: their head resembles a deer, their neck is of medium length, the torso is slender in the front and widens behind, the limbs are different in size - the front ones are relatively small, and the rear ones are very long and powerful, the tail is thick and long. The forelegs are five-fingered, have well-developed toes, and look more like a primate hand than a dog's foot. Nevertheless, the fingers end in rather large claws.

Front paw of a large gray or forest kangaroo (Macropus giganteus).

The hind feet have only four toes (the thumb is reduced), with the second and third toes fused. The body of the kangaroo is covered with short, thick hair, which protects animals well from heat and cold. The color of most species is protective - gray, red, brown, some species may have white stripes. Kangaroo sizes vary widely: the largest red kangaroos reach a height of 1.5 m and weigh up to 85-90 kg, while the smallest species are only 30 cm long and weigh 1-1.5 kg! All types of kangaroos are conventionally divided by size into three groups: the three largest species are called gigantic kangaroos, medium-sized kangaroos are called wallabies, and the smallest species are called rat kangaroos or kangaroo rats.

The brush-tailed kangaroo (Bettongia lesueur) is a representative of small rat kangaroos. Due to its tiny size, it is easy to mistake it for a rodent.

The habitat of the kangaroo covers Australia and the adjacent islands - Tasmania, New Guinea, in addition, kangaroos are acclimatized in New Zealand. Among kangaroos, there are both species with a wide range that live throughout the continent, and endemics that are found only in a limited area (for example, in New Guinea). The habitat of these animals is very diverse: most species inhabit light forests, grassy and desert plains, but there are also those that live ... in the mountains!

Mountain kangaroo, or wallaroo (Macropus robustus) among the rocks.

It turns out that the kangaroo among the rocks is a common sight, for example, mountain views of wallabies can rise to the level of snows.

Kangaroo in a snowdrift is not such a rare occurrence.

But the most unusual are tree kangaroos that live in dense forests. On the branches of trees, they spend most of their lives and climb very dexterously in the crowns, and sometimes jump over the trunks with short jumps. Considering that their tail and hind legs are not tenacious at all, then such balancing is amazing.

Tree kangaroo Goodfellow (Dendrolagus goodfellowi) with a cub.

All species of kangaroos move on their hind legs; during grazing, they hold their bodies horizontally and can rest their front paws on the ground, while alternately pushing off with their hind and forelimbs. In all other cases, they keep the body upright. Interestingly, kangaroos are not able to move their paws sequentially, as other bipedal animals (birds, primates) do, and push off the ground simultaneously with both paws. For this reason, they cannot back away. Actually, walking is unknown to these animals, they move only by jumping, and this is a very energy-consuming way of movement! On the one hand, kangaroos have phenomenal jumping ability and are capable of jumping several times their body length, on the other hand, they spend a lot of energy on such a movement, therefore they are not very hardy. Large species of kangaroos can withstand a good pace for no more than 10 minutes. However, this time is enough to hide from enemies, because the longest jump of the largest red kangaroo can reach 9 or even 12 m, and the speed is 50 km/h! In height, red kangaroos can jump to a height of up to 2 m.

Jumping red kangaroo amaze with its power.

In other species, achievements are more modest, but in any case, kangaroos are the fastest animals in their habitat. The secret of such jumping lies not so much in the powerful muscles of the paws as in ... the tail. The tail serves as a very effective balancer during the jump and a fulcrum when sitting, leaning on the tail, these animals unload the muscles of the hind limbs.

Kangaroos often rest lying on their side in a sybarite pose, scratching their sides in a funny way.

Kangaroos are herd animals and stay in groups of 10-30 individuals, with the exception of the smallest rat kangaroos and mountain wallabies, which live alone. Small species are active only at night, large ones can be active during the day, but still prefer to graze in the dark. There is no clear hierarchy in the herd of kangaroos and, in general, their social ties are not developed. This behavior is due to the general primitiveness of marsupials and the weak development of the cerebral cortex. Their interaction is limited to tracking their brethren - as soon as one animal gives an alarm, the rest take to their heels. The voice of a kangaroo is similar to a hoarse cough, but their hearing is very sensitive, so they hear a relatively quiet cry from afar. Kangaroos do not have dwellings, with the exception of rat kangaroos, which live in burrows.

The yellow-footed rock wallaby (Petrogale xanthopus), also called the ring-tailed or yellow-footed kangaroo, has taken a liking to the rocks.

Kangaroos feed on vegetable food, which they can chew twice, burping out part of the digested food and chewing it again, like ruminants. The stomach of a kangaroo has a complex structure and is inhabited by bacteria that facilitate the digestion of food. Most species feed exclusively on grass, eating it in large quantities. Tree kangaroos feed on the leaves and fruits of trees (including ferns and vines), and the smallest rat kangaroos can specialize in eating fruits, bulbs and even frozen plant sap, in addition, they can include insects in their diet. This brings them closer to other marsupials - possums. Kangaroos drink little and can go without water for a long time, being content with the moisture of plants.

A female kangaroo with a baby in a pouch.

Kangaroos do not have a specific breeding season, but their reproductive processes are very intense. In fact, the body of the female is a "factory" for the production of their own kind. Excited males arrange fights during which they grapple with their front paws and hit each other hard in the stomach with their hind legs. In such a struggle, the tail plays an important role, on which the combatants literally rely on the fifth leg.

Male large gray kangaroos in a mating match.

Pregnancy in these animals is very short, for example, females of the giant gray kangaroo bear a cub for only 38-40 days, in small species this period is even shorter. In fact, kangaroos give birth to underdeveloped embryos 1-2 cm long (in the largest species). It is surprising that such a premature fetus has complex instincts that allow it to independently (!) Get to the mother's pouch. The female helps him, licking the path in the wool, but the embryo crawls without outside help! To appreciate the magnitude of this phenomenon, imagine that human babies were born 1-2 months after conception and found their mother's breasts blindly on their own. Having climbed into the mother's bag, the kangaroo cub sticks to one of the nipples for a long time and spends the first 1-2 months in the bag without getting out.

If you think about what animals are famous for their jumping ability, then only one representative of the family comes to mind. We are talking about kangaroos, the presented individuals can jump 10 meters in length and even more. And in height, their jumps reach 2.5 meters and this is not the limit. Also, individuals can reach speeds of up to 50 kilometers per hour, overtaking prey. In this material, we will consider everything that affects the discussed individuals, so that everyone can form their own opinion.

Description

1. There are quite a few varieties of the discussed individuals, the overall characteristics of the animals directly depend on this. On average, in terms of body weight, they are about 20-100 kg. with a body length of 25-150 cm. The tail plays a separate role, it serves as a balance and is 45-100 cm long. The largest members of the family live in Australia, they are red and large. Heavyweight kangaroos live in the east, they are called gray.
2. The fur is dense, gray, red or brown. It can also be combined. It must be soft and uniform. The upper part of the body of the discussed individuals is poorly developed, most of the load falls on the bottom. The head of a small format, in comparison with the body seems disproportionately small. The muzzle is short or elongated.
3. The forelimbs are shortened, poorly developed, not strongly muscular. They have 5 fingers, there is practically no hair, the claws are strong and long. Shoulders narrowed. The fingers of the animal are spaced at a certain distance, they grab food with them and comb their hair. Compared to the upper, the lower section of the body seems gigantic. She is muscular, strong and broad.
4. The hind limbs are strong and long, as is the tail. The thighs are widened and muscled, there are 4 fingers on the paws. Between the third and second there is a membrane, the fourth is equipped with a strong and long claw. Due to the special structure of the body, kangaroos can deliver serious blows to the enemy with the help of their hind limbs.
5. The tail acts as a balancer and a kind of steering wheel. Individuals quickly jump, moving forward, but due to the structure of the body they cannot move backward. Their shape of the limbs does not allow this, moreover, the tail interferes.

habitation

1. Kangaroos are known to all people as the jumping inhabitants of Australia, and this is partly true. However, the presented individuals also live in other territories, for example, in New Guinea, Tasmania and Bismarck. They also brought these representatives of the family to New Zealand.
2. Very often animals can be found near human dwellings. Similar marsupials are found on the outskirts of large cities and medium-sized settlements. They also prefer to live near the agricultural land of farmers.
3. Based on the observations made, we can conclude that these animals are characterized by a terrestrial lifestyle. They live on flat areas, next to bushes and among thickets of thorny grass. Tree-type kangaroos are excellent climbers, while mountain animals do well among rocks, stones and hills.

population

1. The main varieties of marsupials are not subject to the likelihood of extinction. However, for certain reasons, the number of goals is decreasing every year. This is due to the occurrence of forest fires, a decrease in the natural environment for the distribution of kangaroos, as well as hunting and other human activities. As always, it is people who bear the main danger to living beings.
2. In Australia, at the legislative level, it is forbidden to endanger kangaroos. The gray inhabitants of the western and eastern parts are considered protected. Wild individuals are constantly exposed to shelling as a result of hunting.
3. During the protection of pastures, farmers mutilate these animals. Poachers shoot because of the meat, which is considered a delicacy, as well as the skin, which is subsequently used for the production of leather products. Meat is distinguished by its low calorie content and taste.
4. Generally speaking, the individuals presented are not in danger. But they have enemies in their natural habitat. Animals are preyed upon by snakes, large birds, dingoes, and foxes. In order not to meet enemies, these individuals prefer to eat once a day in the evening, as soon as the sun sets.

Nutrition

1. To a greater extent, kangaroos prefer to eat grass, therefore they are considered herbivores. However, among the diversity of animals, there are varieties that are distinguished by their omnivorous nature. The largest red individuals lean on prickly and stiff grass. Individuals with a short muzzle feast on roots, tubers, bulbs and other underground parts of plants.
2. Certain species of animals eat mushrooms and are directly involved in sowing their spore powder. Small wallabies are content with herbal leaves, seeds, small fruits. If individuals live in forest parts with moderate humidity, they feed on fruits, foliage, and plants. Arboreal individuals eat bird eggs and the chicks themselves, gnaw the bark from the tree trunk.
3. Also, the diet may include clover, alfalfa, eucalyptus leaves, acacia, cereals, and other vegetation. Kangaroos consume cicadas, ferns. Smaller members of the family are more selective when it comes to food preferences. They go in search of a high quality forage base, often such food is digested for a long time.
4. Animals of large format can easily eat low-grade food, but compensate for this with a variety of vegetation. They go to pastures in the late afternoon, but it all depends on the weather conditions in the habitat. If it's hot outside, then the kangaroos will wait until the sun goes down, resting in the shade. Then in the late afternoon they go to look for food.
5. A distinctive characteristic of these animals is undemanding in terms of water consumption. Individuals may not lean on water for several months, in some cases even longer. The liquid is obtained from plant foods, and dew is also licked from grass and rocks. Some smart members of the species rip off the bark, then content themselves with the juice flowing from the tree.
6. Living in a dry area, large-format kangaroos have adapted to independently seek water. They begin to dig wells to a depth of 100 cm or more. Subsequently, these watering places are used by birds, martens, wild-type pigeons and other animals. The stomach of individuals can digest hard food, it is huge, but does not have many chambers. Some members of this family induce vomiting to get rid of food debris in the stomach. Then they chew it again for better absorption.
7. More than 40 varieties of bacteria live in the digestive system. They are responsible for the correct functioning and digestion of dietary fiber. Yeast bacteria are also present, which serve to create fermentation. If we talk about the nutrition of animals living in the zoo, they eat herbs, oats, nuts, seeds, breadcrumbs, vegetables and fruits, etc.

Lifestyle

1. If you really want to know more about the animals in question, your best bet is to head to Australia and visit a national park. In such a place, individuals behave in exactly the same way as in the wild. Kangaroos are animals that lead a herd lifestyle.
2. Most often they gather in small groups, in which there can be up to 25 individuals. However, mountain wallabies and rat kangaroos prefer to lead a solitary lifestyle. They never form groups. There are also small representatives of this species. They are predominantly nocturnal.
3. Large individuals, on the contrary, can be active both during the day and in the evening. The animals in question graze in the moonlight when the heat subsides. Interestingly, the kangaroo herd has no leader. They are all equal. Such animals do not have a leader because they are primitive due to an underdeveloped brain.
4. However, the individuals under consideration have a fairly well-developed self-preservation instinct. It is enough for just one kangaroo to give an alarm signal, the whole group will immediately rush in different directions. The animal gives a voice that is somewhat reminiscent of a cough. In addition, kangaroos have excellent hearing. Therefore, they can hear the alarm signal at a sufficient distance.
5. It is worth noting that these animals are not used to settling in shelters. Only rat kangaroos live in burrows. As for natural enemies, such individuals have a lot of them. Initially, there were no European predators in Australia, later they were brought by people. Therefore, dingoes and marsupial wolves constantly hunted kangaroos. Small kangaroos were attacked by martens, birds of prey and even snakes.
6. As for large individuals, such kangaroos may well stand up for themselves. However, small representatives of the same species are practically helpless. Individuals do not belong to the daredevils, on the contrary, they always try to escape from danger. If the predator nevertheless overtakes its prey, the kangaroo tries to defend itself very fiercely.
7. It is quite interesting to watch how the animal defends itself. The kangaroo delivers a series of powerful blows with its hind legs, while the individual leans on the tail. Also, the kangaroo tries to grab the offender with its front paws. Many people know that a blow from an adult can easily kill a dog. A person can easily end up in a hospital with broken bones.
8. Locals claim that when a kangaroo flees from an enemy, it lures the predator into the water. As a result, the animal drowns the offender. Dingo dogs have suffered in this way more than once. Among other things, kangaroos try to stay away from people. Therefore, it is impossible to see the settlements of these animals nearby.
9. However, such individuals are often found near farms and on the outskirts of small towns. Kangaroos are not pets, but the presence of people does not scare them. Individuals quickly get used to the fact that people often feed them. However, they do not allow themselves to be petted.

reproduction

1. Such animals reach sexual maturity at about 2 years. Life expectancy is on average about 18 years. In some cases, some individuals even lived up to 30 years. During the mating season, males fight very hard for the attention of the female. Often this ends in serious injury.
2. After mating, the female most often has only 1 cub. Before the birth of the cub, the mother begins to carefully lick her bag. It is in it that the baby will continue to develop in the future. Pregnancy lasts only about 1.5 months.
3. As a result, a completely blind baby without hair is born. Further, the cub develops in the mother's pouch for about 11 months. Moreover, the young growth almost immediately sticks to one of the nipples and does not come off from it for about 2 months. During this time, the cub continues to grow, develop and grow hair.
4. Sometimes the baby is already starting to crawl out of the bag, but at the slightest rustle it immediately returns back. Already at the age of 8-10 months, the cub can leave the pouch for a long time, sometimes the mother begins to prepare for the next mating season.

Kangaroos can be considered unique animals. The development of babies takes place in a special bag from the mother. Such a pocket protects the young from various kinds of danger and unpredictable weather conditions. The female can prepare for the mating season only after she is sure that her cub is ready for independent life. Kangaroos are a symbol of Australia, but this does not mean that such individuals will be happy with any contact with a person.

Video: kangaroo (Macropus)