What species is the kangaroo? Kangaroo is a peculiar Australian animal

Kangaroos are the best jumpers of 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.

Kangaroo is called marsupial mammals animals from the two-incisor order (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 largest representatives of 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 on the territory of Australia, Tasmania, New Guinea, on the Bismarck Islands. IN late XIX– beginning of the 20th century They took root well on the territory of Germany and England, reproduced successfully and even tolerated snowy winters well, 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 it top part 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 lead night look life, 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 pups 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 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 better 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 there are two large incisors on the lower jaw (another interesting fact is that, unlike most mammals, their 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, the 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 conditions) weather eg 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 big kangaroo There are 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 Most Famous marsupial of Australia – of course, a kangaroo. This animal is the official symbol of the Green Continent. His image is everywhere: on national flag , coins, commercial products... In their homeland, kangaroos can be found close settlements

, in farmland and even on the outskirts of cities.

Types of kangaroos and their habitats

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, wet 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.

The red kangaroo and other representatives of the genus Macropus (gray kangaroo, common wallaroo, agile wallaby, etc.) are found from deserts to the edges of moist eucalyptus forests of 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. On the even longer bones of the lower leg, the muscles are not as strongly 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 most large mammals which move by jumping 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 the leaves of herbaceous plants, also not 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 may 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 ready for breeding at the age of 10-11 months. 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 different amounts milk and from different nipples. This is possible due to the fact that the secretion of each mammary gland is regulated by hormones independently. 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 consider them 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

Kangaroos are marsupials; there are about sixty different species. This is one of the most amazing mammals living on the planet.

There are terrestrial species - some live on plains covered with bushes and grass, others in rocky areas, and some species can climb trees. They are extremely shy and cautious, usually staying in groups.

Cubs are born very quickly - only 30-40 days, kangaroos are born very small - the length of a newborn calf is no more than 3 cm.

These animals have striking differences from representatives of other fauna globe. For example, they can move exclusively forward - moving backward is hampered by a huge tail and the unusual structure of the hind legs.

Individuals of one species reach a weight of 90 kg, while representatives of the other species do not exceed a weight of 1 kg. Kangaroos produce two types of milk for feeding their young - there are always two of them in the animal's pouch, one of which is almost grown, and the second is a newborn. The photo shows two babies of different sizes peeking out of a kangaroo's pouch.

Kangaroos are very smart animals - residents of the places where these mammals live have more than once observed how, escaping from pursuit, a kangaroo lures an enemy into a pond and then tries to drown it.

Dingoes, wild dogs that hunt kangaroos, have suffered this fate more than once.

Images of a kangaroo and an emu adorn the Australian state coat of arms.

Where does the kangaroo live?

Their habitats, as a rule, are the arid territories of the planet - these animals inhabit Australia, New Guinea, are found on the Bismarck Islands, Tasmania, and are found in England and Germany.

Kangaroos have adapted to live even in cold climates - they also live in countries where snowdrifts in winter sometimes reach their waists.

Description of the body structure of a kangaroo

This animal has unusually long and strong hind legs, they allow it to long jump at a distance of up to 12 m and reach a speed of about 60 km/h, but the kangaroo will not be able to move at a breakneck pace for more than 10 minutes.

The kangaroo balances with the help of a huge, powerful tail - thanks to it, the animal can maintain balance in almost any situation.

The shape of the kangaroo's head is a little similar to the head of a deer; compared to the body, it seems very small.

The animal's shoulders are disproportionately narrow, the forelimbs are short, they are not covered with fur, and on each paw there are five very mobile fingers, pumping with claws - they are necessary to hold food and comb out fur.

The lower part of the body is much more developed than the upper. Thanks to their powerful tail, the animals sit - when they rely on the tail, their lower limbs rest.

The lower paws have four toes, while the second and third are connected by a membrane, and the fourth grows a well-developed razor-sharp claw.

Kangaroo fur is thick and short, it saves you from the heat in the summer and warms you up in the cold season. The color is not very bright - from gray to ash-brown; some species have red or brown hair.

The growth of a kangaroo depends on the species - the length of the body can be 1.5 m, and there are individuals only the size of a rat - these are representatives of the rat family - the so-called kangaroo rats.

The animal moves only on its hind legs and exclusively by jumping - it cannot move its legs one after another. And in order to eat food located not on a tree, but on the ground, it brings the body into a position almost parallel to the ground.

Habits and lifestyle

These mammals live in herds; the kangaroo group can number up to 25 animals. But two species - rats and wallabies - lead a solitary lifestyle.

Small species are active at night, representatives of large species are active at any time of the day, but still graze at night - when it becomes cool.

There is no head of the herd, since these animals are primitive, with a poorly developed brain, although they have a well-developed instinct of self-preservation. As soon as one of the relatives warns of danger, the herd takes to its heels.

Kangaroos signal with a cry similar to a hoarse cough; they have well-developed hearing, so these animals hear signals even at a very long distance.

Kangaroos live on open spaces, digging holes is characteristic only of representatives of the rat species, therefore in nature kangaroos have many enemies.

Until predators brought there by humans appeared in their homeland - Australia - only dingoes and marsupial wolves hunted kangaroos, and for small species they were dangerous marsupial martens, birds of prey and snakes.

As a rule, kangaroos do not attack their pursuer, but rather flee to save themselves. If the enemy drives the animal into a corner, then kangaroos are capable of giving a powerful rebuff. in an unusual way– hugging the enemy with its upper legs, the kangaroo strikes with its lower legs.

A dingo can kill a kangaroo with a couple of blows, and a person caught in the paws of an angry animal will end up in the hospital with multiple fractures.

It is not so rare for kangaroos to live not far from people - a herd can be found on the outskirts of towns, near rural farms.

The kangaroo is an undomesticated mammal, but the proximity of humans does not frighten it. They are accustomed to being fed, they allow a person to come close, but they practically do not allow themselves to be stroked and can go on the attack.

What do kangaroos eat?

These are ruminant animals; they chew their food twice; after swallowing, they regurgitate part of the portion and chew it again. The kangaroo's stomach produces special bacteria that help digest tough plants.

Tree-dwelling species eat fruits and foliage, while the rat subspecies feeds on roots and insects.

Kangaroos can long time do not drink, so they consume little water.

Reproduction and lifespan

Kangaroos do not have a seasonal breeding season; they mate throughout the year. Males are characterized by mating battles, the winner impregnates the female, and after 30-40 days the cubs are born - always no more than two, the body length of a newborn kangaroo is 2-3 cm.

Female kangaroos have an amazing ability - while the eldest cub is fed with milk, the female can delay the birth of the next one.

In fact, the baby of this animal is an underdeveloped embryo, but immediately after birth it is able to independently move into the pouch, where it will grow and feed for two months.

The pouch reliably covers the baby - by contracting the muscles, the female can close and open the marsupial compartment on the abdomen. IN wildlife average duration The life of a kangaroo, depending on the species, is 10-15 years, and in captivity some individuals lived up to 25-30.

Despite the fact that the brain of these mammals is poorly developed, like any other living creature on the planet, kangaroos are characterized by a certain ingenuity and a well-developed instinct of self-preservation.

Unfortunately, these interesting and unusual animals have not escaped their participation in the food chain of the globe. Their meat is edible; Australian Aborigines have been eating it for many centuries.

And some Australian scientists even believe that kangaroo meat is less harmful than lamb and beef. Since 1994, its export has been established to Europe.

Photo of kangaroo

1. Kangaroos are the most famous marsupial animals, 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.

3. Externally, kangaroos do not resemble any other animal: their head and neck resemble those of a deer middle length, the body is slender in the front and widens in the back, the limbs are of different sizes - the front ones are relatively small, and the back ones are very long and powerful, the tail is thick and long. The front paws are five-fingered, have well-developed toes, and look more like a primate hand than a dog's paw. Nevertheless, the fingers end in rather large claws.

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

7. The kangaroo's habitat 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, living throughout the continent, and endemics, found only in a limited area (for example, in New Guinea). The habitat of these animals is very diverse: most species inhabit open forests, grassy and desert plains, but there are also those that live... in the mountains!

8. It turns out that a kangaroo among the rocks is a completely normal phenomenon; for example, mountain wallabies can rise to the level of the snow.

9. But the most unusual are... tree kangaroos, which live in dense forests. They spend most of their lives on tree branches and very deftly climb in the crowns, and at times jump over trunks in short jumps. Considering that their tail and hind legs are not at all tenacious, then such balancing is amazing.

10. All types of kangaroos move on their hind legs; while grazing, they hold their body horizontally and can rest their front paws on the ground, while alternately pushing off with their hind and forelimbs. In all other cases, kangaroos hold their bodies in an upright position. Interestingly, kangaroos are not able to move their paws sequentially, as other two-legged animals (birds, primates) do and push off the ground with both paws at the same time. For this reason, kangaroos cannot move backwards. Actually walking is unknown to these animals; they move only by jumping, and this is a very energy-consuming method of movement! On the one hand, kangaroos have phenomenal jumping ability and are able to make jumps several times greater than their body length, on the other hand, they spend a lot of energy on such movement, so they are not very durable. Large species of kangaroo can maintain a good pace for no more than 10 minutes. However, this time is enough to hide from enemies, because the length of the jump of the largest red kangaroo can reach 9 and even 12 m, and the speed is 50 km/h! Red kangaroos can jump up to 2 m in height.

11. Other species have more modest achievements, but in any case, kangaroos are the fastest animals in their habitat. The secret of such jumping ability lies not so much in the powerful muscles of the paws, but in... the tail. The tail serves as a very effective balancer during jumping and as a fulcrum when sitting; leaning on the kangaroo's tail relieves the muscles of the hind limbs.

12. Kangaroos are herd animals and live 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 kangaroo herd and, in general, their social connections 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 monitoring their fellow animals - as soon as one animal gives an alarm, the rest take to their heels. The kangaroo's voice 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 homes, with the exception of rat kangaroos, which live in burrows.

13. Kangaroos feed on plant foods, which they can chew twice, regurgitating part of the digested food and chewing it again, like ruminants. The kangaroo has a stomach complex structure and is populated by bacteria that facilitate the digestion of food. Most species feed exclusively on grass, eating it in large quantities. Tree kangaroos feed on 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, and they can also 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.

14. Kangaroos do not have a specific breeding season, but their reproductive processes are very intense. In fact, the female’s body is a “factory” for the production of its own kind. Excited males engage in fights, during which they lock their front paws together and hit each other hard in the stomach with their hind paws. In such a fight, the tail plays an important role, on which the males literally rely on their fifth leg.

15. Pregnancy in kangaroos is very short, for example, female gray giant kangaroos carry a baby 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 (!) reach the mother’s pouch. The female helps him by licking a path in the fur, but the embryo crawls without outside help! To appreciate the scale of this phenomenon, imagine if human children were born 1-2 months after conception and independently found their mother's breasts blindly. Having climbed into the mother's pouch, the baby kangaroo attaches itself to one of the nipples for a long time and spends the first 1-2 months in the pouch.

16. At this time, the female is already ready for mating. While the older kangaroo is growing up, the younger one is born. Thus, the female’s pouch can contain two cubs of different ages at the same time. Having matured, the cub begins to look out of the bag, and then climb out of it. True, still for a long time later, a completely independent cub, at the slightest danger, climbs into the mother’s pouch. The kangaroo pouch is formed by very elastic skin, so it can stretch greatly and withstand heavy weight grown cub. Quokka kangaroos have gone even further, in which two embryos are conceived at once, one of which develops and the other does not. If the first baby dies, the second one immediately begins to develop, so the quokkas do not waste time mating again. However, in large kangaroos there are also cases of twins and triplets being born. The lifespan of a kangaroo is 10-15 years.

17. In nature, kangaroos have many enemies. Previously, large kangaroos were hunted by dingoes and marsupial wolves (now exterminated), small marsupial martens, predator birds, snakes. After the introduction of European predators to Australia and the adjacent islands, they natural enemies foxes and cats joined. If small species are defenseless against predators, then large kangaroos can fend for themselves. Usually, in case of danger, they prefer to flee, but a driven kangaroo can suddenly turn to the pursuer and “hug” him with his front paws, delivering powerful blows with his hind paws. An ordinary dog a blow from the hind leg can kill and seriously injure a person. In addition, there are cases where kangaroos escaped into ponds and drowned dogs chasing them in the water.

Predators are not the only problem with kangaroos. Enormous harm is caused to them by food competitors introduced by people: rabbits, sheep, cows. They deprive kangaroos of natural food, which is why many species have been pushed into arid desert areas. Small species are not able to migrate over long distances, so they simply disappear under the pressure of aliens. In turn, people view kangaroos as their competitors and unwanted neighbors, so they hunt them all possible ways. If earlier kangaroos were hunted for meat and skins, now they are simply shot, poisoned by dogs or set in traps. Australia is a major global supplier of kangaroo meat. True, his taste qualities inferior to livestock meat, so it is used in the production of canned food for the same dogs or as an exotic component of restaurant cuisine.

19. The total impact of all unfavorable factors is great, small species of kangaroos are especially vulnerable, most of them are on the verge of destruction. Large species have adapted to live near people and can often be found on the outskirts of cities, rural farms, golf courses, and parks. Kangaroos quickly get used to the presence of people; they behave calmly around them, but do not tolerate familiarity: attempts to pet and feed animals can cause aggression. But you need to understand that such a reaction is due to the instinct of protecting the territory. In zoos, kangaroos are more affectionate to staff and are not dangerous. They take root and reproduce well in captivity and attract many visitors. Together with the emu, the kangaroo appears on the coat of arms of Australia and symbolizes eternal movement forward (since they cannot back away).

The word "kangaroo" comes from the Kuuku-Yimithiri language of the Australian Aborigines, who called these animals "kanguroo" or "gangurru". When Captain James Cook and his crew first learned about this animal and saw a baby kangaroo sticking its head out of its mother's pocket, he at first thought that kangaroos were two-headed animals.

Today we know much more about these funny jumpers. Found in Australia, Tasmania and Papua New Guinea, the kangaroo has become such a recognizable symbol of Australia that its images can be seen on banknotes of this country, commercial products and even on the banner of the Royal air force Australia.

These are truly amazing and strange animals, and in our list today we have collected some of the most amazing facts about kangaroos that you can imagine... or you can't.

And although this list contains information about different types kangaroos, we have mainly focused on the larger, well-known kangaroos that can be seen in most documentaries about wild nature. So, get ready because you might be shocked and amazed by these 25 Kangaroo Facts You May Not Know!

25. Let's start with, perhaps, the coolest and most surprising fact about kangaroos. A female kangaroo can become pregnant and then abort (temporary cessation of vital functions). If the female has been fertilized, but is not yet ready to give birth (for example, she is already carrying one baby), then the embryo goes into a state of diapause until she raises the previous baby.

24. A kangaroo's kick is so powerful that it can kill an adult. And the sharp claws on their paws help them gut small animals.

23. Even though it's a fairly popular joke among teenagers, kangaroos do have a fifth leg, a kind of paw. Used to maintain balance while jumping, the kangaroo's powerful tail acts as a fifth paw when walking. When they kick with their hind legs, they rely on their heel.

22. If you happen to see a battle for dominance between two male kangaroos, it will be easy to know which one is dominant. In such fights, only the subdominant male hits with his paws. (Like other infraclass marsupials, male kangaroos are unique in that their testicles are located above, rather than below, the penis.)

21. The birth of a baby kangaroo is one of the strangest in the animal kingdom. A small, pink “worm” emerges from the birth canal of a female kangaroo at the equivalent of 7 weeks of human pregnancy. The underdeveloped tiny creature must grab onto its mother with its barely emerging front legs and climb up the thick fur to settle in her brood pouch.

20. When this “worm” enters the mother’s pouch, it attaches itself to one of the nipples for 34 weeks. As he grows and develops, he learns to unstick from the nipple and cling to others. The baby kangaroo can't actually suckle yet, so milk from its mother's nipples is regularly squirted directly into its mouth.

19. Some cubs do not leave the brood pouch for 8 months after they entered it. By that time, they become full-term, covered with hair and are already able to make their first jumps.

18. The jump of a large red kangaroo reaches 3 meters in height and 8 meters in length. Add to this maximum speed 60 km/h, which they can develop, and the result is a rather agile marsupial.

17. You're probably wondering what would happen if a tiny, worm-like baby kangaroo fell while climbing up its mother's fur to end up in a brood pouch. If the cub falls, it is still so small (the size of a bean) that the mother abandons it. If she tries to pick it up to somehow put it in her bag, she will simply crush it in an attempt to pick it up.

16. Kangaroos are mainly hunted by people and dingoes. Animals often defend themselves by leading the pursuer to water and trying to drown him.

15. The dirtiest fact on our list: baby kangaroos pee and poop inside their mother's pouch. The inner layer of the brood pouch absorbs some waste products, but the female regularly cleans it herself, sticking her muzzle into it and licking it clean.

14. Kangaroos live in groups of about 10 individuals. Although the group consists of both females and males, only the dominant male - most often the oldest and largest - mates with the females.

13. Tree kangaroos do not sweat, and to cool down they take cover in the shade or lick their front paws and then run them over their furry chest.

12. Although great marketing gives us a clear picture of what a kangaroo looks like, the word "kangaroo" is actually an umbrella term for members of the kangaroo family, which includes giant kangaroos, great red kangaroos (the most famous), wallabies, philanders and wallaroos.

11. Female kangaroos mate just a few days after giving birth to their babies. This way, if anything happens to it, she always has an embryo in diapause, ready to develop.

10. Very nutritious kangaroo meat is sold in different countries Worldwide. It has gained popularity in Australia over the past few decades, especially in high-end restaurants.

9. Kangaroos cannot move their paws independently of each other: they always move them at the same time - as if they were connected. However, during swimming, for reasons still unknown to science, they move them independently of each other.

8. One of the most amazing facts about kangaroos is that females can determine the sex of their babies. Scientists don't yet know how they do it, but female kangaroos are more at a young age They give birth to females, leaving male embryos for later, when they sooner or later leave the group.

7. Despite their powerful paws, kangaroos cannot move backwards. Therefore, Australia decided to depict this animal on its coat of arms, demonstrating that the state is always moving forward and developing.

6. To demonstrate their strength and power to other males, male kangaroos uproot grass and bushes.

5. Western gray kangaroos are sometimes called "stinkers" because they emit a curry-like odor.

4. In cartoons, kangaroos are often shown boxing with their front paws. Although they sometimes do this for fun, most often this is how males fight for the right to own a female. Such kicks are usually harmless, especially compared to with a strong blow their hind legs.

3. Endemic to Australia and Papua New Guinea, several kangaroos have managed to escape from zoos in the United States and France and breed in the wild. In Ireland, as you know, there is a whole colony of wallabies.

2. Once a baby kangaroo is old enough to leave its mother's pouch for good, it still returns there to drink her milk. Since the female may already have another baby developing in her pouch at this time, female kangaroos have a well-functioning lactation system: one of the teats produces high-carbohydrate milk for the older baby, and the other teats produce high-fat milk for the younger baby.

1. Our latest bizarre kangaroo fact is a bit of a shocker again. Female kangaroos have a rather interesting anatomical feature: they have three vaginas. Two of them are used to carry seminal fluid into the uterus, of which kangaroos have two. During childbirth, the fetus from the uterus enters the median vagina, and from there through a special birth canal - out, so that then, clinging to the mother's fur, it rises and climbs into the pouch.