Living conditions of kangaroos. Kangaroo - the calling card of Australia

There is probably no person who does not know that kangaroos live in Australia and that the kangaroo is considered a symbol of Australia.

It is not known exactly how many years the kangaroo has been living on the sunny continent, but Europeans learned about it not so long ago, in the middle of the 18th Century, when James Cook came to Australia.

This animal certainly attracted attention. Not only does the kangaroo look different from other animals, it has an unusual way of moving.

Description and lifestyle of a kangaroo

Kangaroos, like most animals in Australia, are marsupials. This means that the female kangaroo carries her cubs, which are born underdeveloped, in a pouch formed by folds of skin on the abdomen. But that's not all the differences Australian kangaroo from other animals, its peculiarity is its method of movement. Kangaroos move by jumping, much the same way as grasshoppers or the well-known jerboas do. But the grasshopper is an insect, and the jerboa is a small rodent, for them this is acceptable. But for a large animal to move, making jumps, and quite large ones at that, is not probable from the point of view of the expenditure of effort. After all, an adult kangaroo can jump up to 10 meters in length and almost 3 meters in height. What kind of force is needed to launch a body weighing up to 80 kg into flight? Namely, this is how much a gigantic kangaroo weighs. And so in an unusual way A kangaroo can reach speeds of up to 60 km/hour or more. But it’s difficult for him to move backwards; his legs are simply not designed for this.

By the way, the origin of the name “kangaroo” itself is also still not clear. There is a version that the first travelers who came to Australia, when they saw this jumping monster, asked the locals: What is his name? To which one of them responded in his own language “I don’t understand,” but it sounded just like “gangurru,” and since then this word has stuck with them as their name. Another version says that the word “gangurru” in the language of one of the indigenous tribes of Australia means this animal. There is no reliable information about the origin of the name kangaroo.

Externally, the kangaroo looks unusual for a European. Its upright stance, strong, muscular hind legs and short, usually bent front legs give it something of a boxer-like appearance. By the way, in ordinary life these animals also show boxing skills. When fighting among themselves or defending themselves from enemies, they strike with their front paws, just like boxers do in a fight. True, quite often they also use their long hind legs. It's similar to Muay Thai. In order to apply especially swipe, the kangaroo sits on its tail.

But imagine the force of the back leg of this monster. With one blow he can easily kill. In addition, it has huge claws on its hind legs. If we consider that in Australia the largest land predator is the wild dog Dingo, which in size cannot be compared with the kangaroo, then it becomes clear why the kangaroo has practically no enemies. Well, maybe only a crocodile, but where kangaroos usually live, there are almost no crocodiles. True, the real danger is posed by a python, which can eat something even larger, but this is of course rare, but nevertheless, here is a fact when a python ate a kangaroo.

Another feature of kangaroos is that they are marsupials, and as a result, raise their offspring in a rather unique way. The baby kangaroo is born very small, not fully developed and is unable to move or feed itself. But this is compensated by the fact that the female kangaroo has a pouch on her stomach formed by a fold of skin. It is in this pouch that the female places her tiny baby, and sometimes two, where they grow further, especially since the nipples through which he feeds are located there. All this time, one or two underdeveloped cubs spend in the mother’s pouch, tightly attached with their mouth to the nipples. The mother kangaroo masterfully controls the pouch using her muscles. For example, she can “lock” a cub in it at a time of danger. The presence of a baby in the bag does not bother the mother at all, and she can freely jump further. By the way, the milk that the baby kangaroo feeds changes its composition over time. While the baby is tiny, it contains special antibacterial components produced by the mother’s body. As he grows, they disappear.

After emerging from infancy, during which the diet consists of mother's milk, all kangaroos become vegetarians. They feed mainly on tree fruits and grass; some species, in addition to greens, eat insects or worms. They usually feed in the dark, which is why kangaroos are called crepuscular animals. These mammals live in packs. They are very careful and do not come close to humans. However, there are known cases when brutal kangaroos drowned animals and attacked people. This occurred during periods of famine, when the dry areas of Australia were converted to grass. Kangaroos endure the test of hunger very hard. During such periods, kangaroos make raids on farmland, and also often go to the outskirts of towns and villages in the hope of profiting from something, which they are quite successful.

The kangaroo has quite long duration life. On average, they live 15 years, but there have been cases where some live up to 30 years.

In general, there are about 50 species of these animals. But there are several of them that are most common.

Species of kangaroo

Red kangaroo, living mainly in flat areas. This is the largest and most known species. Some individuals of them are up to 2 meters tall and weigh more than 80 kg.

Gray forest kangaroos, live in forest areas. These are somewhat smaller in size, but they are distinguished by great agility. The giant gray kangaroo, when necessary, can jump at speeds of up to 65 km/h. Previously, they were hunted for wool and meat, and only thanks to their agility they have survived to this day. But their population has noticeably decreased, so they are now under state protection. Now in national parks they feel safe and their numbers are increasing.

Mountain kangaroos - wallaroo, another species of kangaroo living in the mountainous regions of Australia. They are smaller in size than red and gray kangaroos, but more agile. They are more squat and their hind legs are not so long. But they have the ability to easily jump and move quite quickly along mountain steeps and rocks, no worse than mountain goats.

Tree kangaroos - wallabies, which can be found in numerous forests in Australia. In appearance, they bear little resemblance to their lowland brothers. They have well developed claws, long tails They have the ability to grasp, and they can move their hind legs independently of one another, which gives them the ability to climb trees perfectly. Therefore, they descend to the ground only in extreme cases.

Or in other words, the yellow-footed rock wallaby or the yellow-footed kangaroo, mammals from the kangaroo family. This type of kangaroo prefers to settle in rocky areas, avoiding other animals and humans.

Or, in other words, the red-bellied philander, a small marsupial from the kangaroo family. This small kangaroo lives only in Tasmania and big islands Bass Strait.

Or as it is sometimes called the white-breasted wallaby, refers to the species dwarf kangaroos and lives in the New South Wales region and on the island of Kawau.

A mammal from the kangaroo family. This is a small species, otherwise called Eugenia philander, Derby kangaroo or tamnar, and lives in the southern regions of Eastern and Western Australia.

Short-tailed kangaroo or quokka - one of the most interesting species kangaroos The quokka is considered one and only of the genus Setonix. This is a small, harmless animal slightly larger than a cat, rather than resembling a jerboa. Being a herbivore, it eats only plant foods. Like other kangaroos, they move by jumping, although small tail It doesn't help him when moving.

Kangaroo rats, little brothers of the kangaroo family, live in the steppe and desert expanses of Australia. They look more like jerboas, but nevertheless they are real marsupial kangaroos, only in miniature. It's pretty cute, but timid creatures, leading night image life. True, in flocks they can cause significant damage to crops, so quite often farmers hunt them to protect their crops.

Kangaroo and man

Kangaroos as such, of any kind, live quite freely. They move freely and quite often destroy crops and pastures. In this case, operations are usually carried out to reduce the number of herds. In addition, many large kangaroos are exterminated due to valuable fur and meat. The meat of these animals is considered healthier than beef or lamb.

The increase in the kangaroo population was the creation of kangaroo farms. Kangaroo meat is eaten not only in Australia, but throughout the world. This nutritious product has been supplied to Europe since 1994. This is what packaged kangaroo meat sold in supermarkets looks like

Research has proven that the manure of ruminant animals, such as sheep and cows in Australia, when decomposing, emits strong greenhouse gases - methane and nitric oxide. These gases contribute hundreds of times more strongly to the creation greenhouse effect how carbon dioxide, which was previously considered the main culprit global warming.

Currently, the huge number of livestock raised in Australia means that methane and nitrogen oxide account for 11% of total emissions. greenhouse gases into the atmosphere from Australia. Kangaroos produce incomparably less methane. Therefore, if you breed kangaroos instead of sheep and cows, this will reduce greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere by a quarter. If, over the next six years, 36 million sheep and seven million cattle were replaced by 175 million kangaroos, this would not only maintain current levels of meat production, but also reduce annual greenhouse gas emissions by 3%.

Researchers say using kangaroos for meat production could be applied around the world and not only would it new way providing food to the world's population, but will also reduce the greenhouse effect and, as a result, reduce global warming. However, there are certain difficulties in this. A significant cultural restructuring and, of course, considerable investment are needed. One of the significant problems in solving this issue is that the kangaroo is national symbol country, he is depicted on state emblem Australia. Moreover, the defenders environment oppose such use of this animal.

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 medium 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 a 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 ones 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. The quokka kangaroos went even further, in which two embryos are conceived at once, one of which develops, and the second 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 ones marsupial martens, birds of prey, 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).

There are probably not enough words to describe all the diversity of the animal world of our planet. Almost every country and every region has its own unique endemic animals, which are found only in a specific area. A striking example Such creatures are kangaroos.

And if you ask any person the question “where do kangaroos live”, he will answer without a doubt: in Australia. Of course, he will be right, because a significant part of kangaroos live on this continent, and handsome marsupial It is also a national symbol of the most unique and little-studied state.

However, if you dig deeper, the kangaroo animal can live:

• in New Zealand;
• in New Guinea;
• on the islands of the Bismarck Archipelago;
• in Tasmania.

It should be noted that in nature there are more than 50 varieties of such animals with their own characteristics and interesting facts. Meet giant specimens red and gray , there are also small kangaroo rats, which also belong to marsupials, there are also wallabies - medium-sized individuals and many others.

Where do kangaroos live: description of the animal and way of life

Main Features

The kangaroo belongs to the infraclass marsupials and is a fairly large animal with a height of 100-170 centimeters and a weight of 20-40 kilograms. Such characteristics define males, because females are slightly smaller and lighter. The main feature of the animals is a light gray or reddish-red coat color, a bare black nose and long ears, which allow them to successfully detect the slightest sounds and determine the approach of an enemy.

The animal also has long hind legs and a flexible tail, which allows it to maintain balance when making complex and long jumps. While moving, the animal can develop incredible speeds, which often reach 60 kilometers per hour. If a kangaroo notices danger, it can accelerate up to 90 kilometers per hour. Naturally, he can only run at this speed for a few minutes. The front legs are significantly shorter than the hind legs and have sharp claws. The animal uses its claws to protect itself from predators and to search for water in dry soil. Also, claws serve as an indispensable tool when sorting out relationships with each other.

How long do they live?

The lifespan of a kangaroo often reaches 18 years. Puberty ends at the age of two, and the mating procedure can last a whole year. The pregnant female carries the baby for 32 days, after which a small kangaroo is born. Locals call it joey. The baby is born completely blind and without fur. Moreover, its dimensions are incredibly tiny - 2.5 centimeters. In the first days after birth, the tiny creature climbs into the mother’s pouch and continues to stay there for up to six months. When he is six months old, he begins to take his first independent steps, after which he still returns to the pouch.

The child is finally released at the age of nine months. It should be taken into account that only females have a pouch, because it contains nipples for feeding the offspring with milk.

When feeding the animal can produce several types of milk at once. This is due to the fact that the female can become pregnant again, even if there is already a small cub in the pouch. As a result, several babies can often be in the bag of such an animal at the same time. different ages. The kangaroo determines the size of its pouch independently, depending on the size and number of cubs. When Joey starts to grow, mom expands the bag, and when she gets ready to go to long journey, tightens it so that it does not jump out while moving.

Where do kangaroos live and what do they eat?

Kangaroos can live in four main regions:

1. Australia;
2. New Zealand;
3. New Guinea;
4. Tasmania;

They can be found less frequently on the territory of the Bismarck Archipelago.

In most cases, kangaroos are found in the rocky part of Australia, where they feel protected. The animal is considered social, so it leads a gregarious lifestyle in families of a male and several females. Upon reaching sexual maturity, the animal leaves its family and begins to create its own. The kangaroo's diet consists exclusively of plant food. If an intense drought occurs in a region, the animal begins to dig holes with its claws. Sometimes the depressions reach a meter in depth. In addition, kangaroos are able to extract liquid from food.

Lifestyle Features

As for the lifestyle, these marsupials are almost nocturnal. At dusk, animals go out to pasture and feed on lush grass. It is very difficult to live in Australia during the daytime, which associated with unbearable temperatures air and the scorching sun, so the kangaroo hides in the shade of the trees.

If a kangaroo notices danger or the approach of predators, it will immediately begin to beat its legs on the ground, notifying its neighbors of a possible threat. For centuries, the animal could live peacefully on the continent and not be afraid of attacks from predators. But when the first European colonialists appeared in Australia, the situation changed significantly.

It is known that it was they who brought dingoes to this continent, which went wild and became the main enemies of marsupials. If the kangaroo is in danger, it begins to drive the dog to the nearest body of water and is going to drown him. If there is no access to a body of water, the animal can run to the nearest tree and kick with its hind legs attack a predator. But dingoes are not the only problem for these animals. Australia is home to an incalculable number of dangerous midges that clog the eyes and cause inflammation that can deprive an animal of its sight.

The kangaroo gets along well with people and is practically not afraid of contact with them. Currently, the animal can be found in an ordinary city park or in the forest. If you manage to meet a kangaroo in wildlife, perhaps he will allow you to take a photo with him and feed him by hand.

By the way, near the Australian continent there is one unique island, which is called “kangaroo island”. The fact is that there are a lot of these animals there, and they are presented in their original form. People have little developed the territory, so the number of marsupials is reaching a record high.

Bulldozer - Apr 24th, 2015

Kangaroos got their name due to a misunderstanding. In the Australian Aboriginal language, the word “ken-gu-ru” means “I don’t understand,” and the Europeans decided that this was the name of this strange animal.

The kangaroo animal is marsupial mammal. There are about seventy varieties of kangaroos, from very miniature to giants (weighing from 500 g to 90 kg). The largest is the red kangaroo. Kangaroos live on the plains; they are terrestrial animals, but there are also those who can climb trees. They feed on plant foods, mainly grass. They stand upright on their hind legs, supported by their powerful tail. They also move on their hind legs, performing jumps up to 10 m. Speed ​​at short distances They can also develop a decent speed - up to 60 km per hour. They lead a nocturnal lifestyle, escaping the heat of the day.
Kangaroos are widespread in Australia, Tasmania, New Guinea, and were introduced into New Zealand. Kangaroos have become a symbol of Australia - they are depicted on its coat of arms.

Photo: amazing kangaroos.
Female kangaroos give birth once a year. Pregnancy is short, only a month. One or two, rarely three very small cubs are born. The giant kangaroo has newborns measuring up to three centimeters. Then the babies live in their mother’s pouch for another six to eight months.
Kangaroos easily adapt to life in captivity, some are even bred on farms. They are also used as circus performers. Kangaroos are excellent at boxing with both front and hind legs. It is difficult for a person to cope with them, which is why such “fights” are very popular among spectators.

Wild Australia Desert Red Kangaroos

Video: Fights without rules. Kangaroo vs kickboxer!

How diverse the world is, how many amazing plants and animals live on our planet! And the kangaroo can safely be considered such a bright representative of nature, another of its miracles. Surely everyone knows in which country the kangaroo lives. Of course, in Australia. But many may have a question about where kangaroos live, besides Australia. And they also live in Guinea, the Bismarck Archipelago and Tasmania. In total there are more than fifty species of these animals. They all vary in size and weight. There are giant kangaroos: red and gray, there are kangaroo rats, wallabies - medium-sized individuals, and others.

Kangaroo: description of the animal

This animal is a marsupial. The growth of gigantic kangaroos is quite impressive. Males grow from one hundred to one hundred and seventy centimeters in height, and weigh from twenty to forty kilograms. Females are slightly smaller, their height is from seventy-five centimeters to one meter, their weight is from eighteen to twenty-two kilograms. The coat color ranges from light gray to reddish red. All kangaroos have a naked black nose and long ears. Thanks to such ears, the animal can pick up even the faintest sounds, which allows it to hear the approach of an enemy in time.

Kangaroos have very long hind legs and a tail, thanks to which the animal maintains balance while moving. And they move exclusively by jumping. Thanks to its powerful hind legs, the animal reaches speeds of up to 60 km/h when running, and up to 90 km/h when running away from a predator. But at this speed the animal can only run for a short time. Its front legs are short, with very long claws, with which they defend themselves from predators and dig holes in search of water. And thanks to their claws, males sort things out with each other.

The question arises: how long do kangaroos live? And they live for about eighteen years. They reach sexual maturity at about two years of age. Animals can mate throughout the year. The female's pregnancy lasts thirty-two days. A baby kangaroo is called a joey. He is born blind and without fur, and also absolutely tiny - two and a half centimeters. Immediately after birth, the cub crawls to its mother's pouch, where it remains for up to six months. Having reached the age of six months, the baby begins to take his first steps, but still returns to the pouch. He lives there for up to nine months. It should be noted that only females have a pouch. It has four nipples. The female simultaneously produces several types of milk for different ages of her cub. The fact is that she, having still quite little cub, may be pregnant. And the bag can contain several cubs of different ages at once. The female kangaroo can regulate the size of her bag - making it larger or smaller. Joey is growing and therefore needs more space, but when the mother moves, the walls of the pouch are compressed so that the baby does not jump out.

Animal lifestyle. Where do kangaroos live in Australia?

Animals live in rocky areas of the continent. There they feel more secure. Kangaroos are social animals. The family consists of a male and several females. When the cub reaches sexual maturity, he leaves the family and creates his own. These animals feed exclusively on plant foods. During drought, they can independently obtain water by digging deep (up to one meter deep) holes. They can also receive necessary water from food. Animals are nocturnal. It is at dusk that they go out to pastures to eat lush grass, and during the day they rest in the shade of trees, hiding from the scorching sun. If any animal hears the approach of an enemy, it immediately begins to loudly knock with its hind legs, warning its relatives of the danger. From time immemorial, on the continent where kangaroos live, there were no predators, and the animals felt absolutely safe.

But with the arrival of Europeans on the island, a threat loomed over the kangaroos. Some brought dogs went wild - they began to be called And now they have become the main enemies of the kangaroo. When attacked by a predator, the animal tries to lure it into the water and drown it. If there is no body of water nearby, then the kangaroo runs to the nearest tree, rests its back against it and delivers a crushing blow with its hind legs. And the paws are really strong. A kangaroo can easily jump over a three-meter fence. Where the kangaroo lives, others large predators No. But animals may be subject to another misfortune. Very dangerous for kangaroos are midges, which clog the eyes, causing severe inflammation. The animal may go blind!

Kangaroos trust people and are practically not afraid of them. Very often these animals can be found in the park or forest. If you go to where kangaroos live and you are lucky enough to meet them, then there is a high probability that the animal will even allow itself to be photographed.

History of the name of the animal

The animal received such an eccentric name - “kangaroo” - thanks to the discoverers of a continent unknown at that time. When the Europeans saw these amazing animals, they asked the aborigines: “Who is this?” To which the locals responded, “Ken Gu Ru,” which translates to “we don’t understand.” The sailors thought that this was the name of the animal. That’s how the name “kangaroo” stuck to him.

Kangaroo Island

Near Australia there is an island where kangaroos live. This territory has not yet been fully developed by humans, so animals feel very good here. Animal world presented in this area in its original form. The number of kangaroos on the island is very large.

Wallaby

Wallaby is a marsupial belonging to the Kangaroo family. It represents exact copy a gigantic kangaroo, only in a reduced form. These animals reach seventy centimeters in height and weigh up to twenty kilograms. There are up to fifteen species of this animal, some are on the verge of extinction - such as striped wallabies. Almost nothing remains of the once abundant species. They are found only on two islands located off the west coast of Australia. There are mountain wallabies, and there are swamp wallabies. By appearance and they do not differ in habits - only in their habitat.

Where do wallabies live?

Mountain wallabies live in bushland and are found throughout Australia. Like their brothers, giant kangaroos lead a predominantly nocturnal lifestyle. They feed on lush grass, tree bark and young shoots. Swamp wallabies live on wet plains.

The amazing thing is that wallabies can be kept in quality pet. They are easily tamed. But to do this, you need to take an animal that has not yet been weaned off milk and feed it yourself from a bottle. Otherwise, the animal will be very difficult to tame.

Kangaroo rat

The second name of the animal is musk kangaroo. This animal is small in size. Its body reaches a length of forty centimeters, a third is the tail. It is covered with dark thick fur, on which red specks can be seen. The fur on the hind legs is dark brown, but the feet are completely bare. In appearance, the animals are very similar to ordinary kangaroos. The animals live in hard-to-reach thickets along river banks. These animals lead a diurnal lifestyle, lazily digging through plant waste in search of insects, earthworms and plant tubers. They also eat grass, tree bark and palm tree fruits. Females carry their young in a pouch.

Brush-tailed kangaroo

This marsupial is the size of a rabbit. His fur is quite long, upper part- dark in color with black speckles, and the fur on the belly is dirty white. This species of kangaroo gets its name from the ridge of shaggy black hair on part of its tail. Its body length is sixty-seven centimeters, of which thirty-one is the tail. The animal digs holes in the ground, which it lines with grass and branches, creating a kind of nest. The brush-tailed kangaroo chooses a place for its bed in dense thickets of grass, so it is very difficult to see it in the wild. They lie in nests and come out to feed at night. The animals feed on grass and plant roots, which they very deftly dig out of the ground.

Australia is the country where kangaroos live - amazing place. And if you have the opportunity to visit this wonderful continent, go. At least to see the wonderful kangaroos with your own eyes.