Kangaroo (lat. Macropus) is the commonly used name for a group of animals from the order of two-incisor marsupial mammals. In a broad sense, the term kangaroo refers to all members of the kangaroo family. In a narrow sense, this name applies to the largest representatives of this family, while the smaller ones are called wallaroo and wallaby. Kangaroos live on average six years in the wild and over 20 years in captivity, depending on the species. Most kangaroos, however, do not reach maturity in the wild.
origin of name
The word "kangaroo" comes from "kanguroo" or "gangurru" - the name of this animal in the Kuuku-Yimithiri language of the Aboriginal Australians (the language of the Pama-Nyung family), heard by James Cook from the Aborigines during his landing on the north-eastern coast of Australia in 1770 .
A myth has spread widely according to which James Cook, having arrived in Australia and seeing a large, jumping, unfamiliar animal, turned to one of the aborigines asking what it was, but he, not understanding Cook’s speech, answered him in his native language: "I don't understand". As the myth goes, Cook took this phrase, which supposedly sounds like “kangaroo,” as the name of the animal. According to modern linguistic research, there is no factual basis for this myth. However, he may have been truthful.
Description
Depending on the species, representatives of the family have a length from 25 cm (plus 45 cm - tail) to 1.6 m (tail - 1 m), and weigh from 18 to 100 kg. The largest individual is considered to be the resident of the Australian continent - the great red kangaroo, and the heaviest is the eastern gray kangaroo. The fur of marsupials is soft, thick, and can be gray, black, red and their shades.
The kangaroo is an interesting animal because its upper part is poorly developed. The head is small, the muzzle can be either long or short. The shoulders are narrow, the front legs are short, weak, hairless, have five fingers, but are armed with very sharp claws. The fingers are very mobile and the animal uses them for grasping, feeding, and combing fur.
But the lower part of the body is developed: the hind legs, a long thick tail, the hips are very strong, the foot has four toes, while the second and third are connected by a membrane, the fourth has a strong claw. This structure makes it possible to successfully defend itself using powerful blows with its hind legs, and move quickly (in this case, the tail replaces the marsupial’s steering wheel). These animals are unable to move backwards; their tail and the shape of their hind legs do not allow them to do so.
Character and lifestyle of a kangaroo
If someone asks what kind of animal called a kangaroo is by nature and way of life, then experts will answer him that they are classified as animals that lead a herd lifestyle.
They mostly gather in groups, the number of which can sometimes reach up to 25 individuals. True, rat kangaroos, as well as mountain wallabies, are relatives of the kangaroo family and are solitary by nature and do not tend to lead a group lifestyle. Small-sized species prefer to be active at night, but large species can be active both at night and during the day. However, kangaroos usually graze under the moonlight when the heat subsides.
Socialization
No one occupies a leading position in a herd of marsupials. There are no leaders due to the primitiveness of animals and underdeveloped brains. Although the instinct of self-preservation in kangaroos is well developed.
As soon as one relative gives a signal about the approaching danger, the entire herd will rush in all directions. The animal gives a signal with its voice, and its cry is very reminiscent of a cough when a heavy smoker coughs. Nature has endowed marsupials with good hearing, so they can recognize even a quiet signal at a considerable distance.
Enemies
Kangaroos do not tend to live in shelters. Only kangaroos from the rat family live in burrows. In the wild, representatives of the marsupial breed have countless enemies. When there were no predators in Australia (predators of the European breed were brought to the continent by people), they were hunted by wild dogs dingoes, wolves from the family of marsupials, and small species of kangaroos were eaten by marsupial martens, snakes, of which there are incredibly many in Australia, and birds from the order of carnivores.
Of course, large species of kangaroo can give a good rebuff to an animal attacking it, but small individuals are not able to protect themselves and their offspring. It would be hard to call a kangaroo a daredevil; they usually run away from their pursuer.
But when a predator drives them into a corner, they defend themselves very desperately. It is interesting to observe how a kangaroo defending itself, as a retaliatory blow, inflicts a series of deafening slaps in the face with its hind limbs, while “gently” hugging the enemy with its front paws.
It is reliably known that a blow inflicted by a kangaroo can kill a dog the first time, and a person encountering an angry kangaroo risks ending up in a hospital bed with fractures of varying severity. Interesting fact: local residents say that when a kangaroo escapes persecution, they try to lure the enemy into the water and drown it there. At least, dingo dogs suffered from this more than once. Kangaroos often settle close to people. They are often found on the outskirts of small towns, near farms. The animal is not a pet, but the presence of people does not frighten it. They very quickly get used to the fact that a person feeds them, but kangaroos cannot stand a familiar attitude towards themselves, and when trying to pet them, they are always wary, and sometimes they can attack.
Nutrition
Under natural conditions, kangaroos feed only once a day, in the evening when the sun sets. Most kangaroos feed primarily on grass, as well as various types of legumes such as alfalfa and clover. The favorite food of marsupials is the so-called porcupine grass, the leaves of which resemble
thorns. This grass grows only in dry areas in Australia, mainly in desert areas, so if a kangaroo is kept in captivity, it usually does not get this food.
Feeding in captivity
In captivity, kangaroos are fed regular grass, sometimes eucalyptus leaves. In principle, the diet of representatives of the marsupial species in the wild and in captivity is practically the same, however, there are certain species of kangaroos living on desert plains that prefer to feed on porcupine grass. If they are fed food that is not familiar to them, various ailments will develop, as a result of which their lifespan can be significantly reduced.
Kangaroo breeding
For a long time, the question of how kangaroos reproduce interested many researchers, but modern scientists were still able to give an accurate answer to it. During the mating season, males actively fight for females, and real fights take place between them. They beat each other mercilessly with their front paws.
Mating process
After the male has achieved mating rights, he fulfills his male duty and then quietly goes home. He doesn't care at all about how reproduction will continue. By the way, to this day it is not known how these animals mate. Most researchers agree that they use the traditional “missionary” position, since in another position they are hampered by a powerful tail.
Pregnancy and childbirth
The female bears and feeds the baby on her own. Pregnancy lasts approximately one month. When the time comes for giving birth, the female sits in a secluded place and assumes a position with her tail pointing forward between her hind legs. It is on the tail that the newborn ends up. At the moment of birth, the baby does not look like a kangaroo at all - it is a translucent creature the size of a bean, its weight does not reach one gram. The baby has strong, long front legs, a large mouth and a well-defined nose. The baby needs these parts of the body in order to get to the mother’s pouch and continue its further development in it.
Mother's love
The cub, after falling on the mother’s tail, clings tightly to the fur of the mother’s belly with its front paws, and this is how it unmistakably determines the path to the pouch. Scientists suggest that it is at this moment that the baby’s nose comes in handy, or, to be a little more precise, its sense of smell. The little kangaroo, already in its mother’s pouch, firmly attaches its large mouth to the nipple, which swells. At this moment, all the baby’s strength goes away, and he hangs motionless, and the milk itself flows into his mouth, since the baby still does not know how to suck well.
The baby kangaroo spends about seven months in its cradle and feeds exclusively on its mother's milk. In recent months, the baby begins to look out of the bag and examine the world around him. Then he gradually begins to jump out of the bag for a short time, but at the first danger he
hides in it again. And having matured a little, he leaves his mother’s bag forever and begins to live independently.
I would like to note that after the birth of the baby, the mother is again ready for mating and pregnancy.
Kangaroo as a symbol of Australia
The kangaroo and emu are recognized symbols of Australia, appearing on the Australian coat of arms and arms, as well as on the 50 cent coin. Kangaroos (marsupials) and emus (a large bird that cannot fly) live naturally exclusively on this continent. These two exotic representatives of Australia's fauna have something in common - they very rarely move backwards. Thanks to their body shape and long, strong tail, kangaroos can move by jumping, but they have great difficulty backing up. Emus run quickly on their long limbs, but the structure of the knee joints prevents the bird from turning.
Kangaroos and emus symbolize the dignity of the Australian nation, which never retreats and moves only forward. The male emu is a caring father, he guards the clutch of eggs and raises the chicks during the first 6 months of their life. The kangaroo seemed an extraordinary and unique creature when, in 1771, Captain James Cook brought one specimen of the animal from an expedition to England on board his ship.
Joseph Banks, a naturalist who visited the continent for research purposes, commissioned the painter George Stubbs to paint a “portrait” of a kangaroo. When the scientist presented his report on the expedition, he provided it with an illustration of the animal. From that time on, the kangaroo began to be associated with the Australian continent and became an obligatory attribute of exhibitions, collections, works of art and books published in Europe about Australia. But a lot of time passed before the kangaroo became an officially recognized symbol of the country. Despite the fact that the animal was recognized as “noxious” and capable of causing damage to crops and domestic animals, in 1908 its image was included in the Australian national emblem. The kangaroo is present on the emblems and logos of various institutions and societies, sports equipment, is included in architectural decor, and is a frequently used motif in decorative and applied arts.
Kangaroos are bred at home; they are popular characters in books, TV series, cartoons, games and songs. Two red kangaroos are included in the coat of arms of Western Australia, the national passenger airliner Qantas uses an image of a galloping kangaroo as an emblem, the Government Tourism Authority uses a kangaroo in its logo for instant identification with Australia. A special symbol in the form of a golden kangaroo and a green triangle shows that the product is produced or grown in Australia. The Red Kangaroo is the logo of the Australian Shipping Service, part of the official emblem of the Royal Australian Regiment and the Northern Territory (federal entity within Australia) and its police force. The word "kangaroo" is included in many geographical names in Australia - Kangaroo Island, Kangaroo Suburb - Bendigo Suburb (Victoria), Kangaroo Land (a city in Victoria), Kangaroo River, Kangaroo Valley, Kangaroo Reservoir, etc.
Relationships with people
In nature, the large kangaroo has few enemies: kangaroo meat only attracts foxes, dingoes and birds of prey (and even then, marsupials are quite capable of protecting themselves with the help of their hind legs). But relations with humans are tense: pastoralists, not without reason, accuse them of damaging crops in pastures, and therefore shoot them or scatter poisonous baits.
In addition, most species (only nine are protected by law) are allowed to be hunted to regulate numbers: kangaroo meat, which contains a huge amount of protein and only 2% fat. It is worth noting that kangaroo meat has long been one of the main sources of food for the natives. Clothes, shoes and other products are made from animal skins. Animals are often hunted for sport, so many species are found only in uninhabited areas
- The kangaroo was first described by James Cook. There is a very widespread legend on this score, according to which, when asked by a researcher: “What kind of animal is this?”, the leader of a local tribe replied: “I don’t understand,” which for Cook sounded like “kangaroo.” However, there is another version of how the legendary Australian jumper got his name - it is believed that the word “gangurru” means the animal itself in the language of the aborigines of northeastern Australia.
- There are many varieties of kangaroos in the world. It is customary to distinguish about 60 species of these animals. The largest kangaroo - Red or Gray, can weigh up to 90 kg (the male is always larger than the female, so it makes sense to determine the maximum weight based on it), the smallest is about 1 kg (female).
- The kangaroo is the only large animal that moves by jumping. In this he is helped by strong muscular legs with elastic Achilles tendons, which act like springs during a jump, and a long, powerful tail, adapted to maintain balance during a jumping movement.
- Kangaroos live in the Australian bush. They can also be seen on beaches or in the mountains. Kangaroos are generally very common in the wild. During the day they like to rest in shady places and be active at night. This habit, by the way, often causes accidents on rural Australian roads, where kangaroos blinded by bright headlights can easily collide with a passing car. A special type of tree kangaroo has also adapted to climbing trees.
- Kangaroos can reach great speed. Thus, the largest Red kangaroos, which usually move at a speed of 20 km/h, can cover short distances at a speed of 70 km/h if necessary.
- Kangaroos don't live long. About 9-18 years, although there are known cases where some animals lived up to 30 years.
- Kangaroos are very shy. They try not to approach the person themselves, and not to let him get close to them. Animals fed by tourists can be called less shy, and the friendliest on this list are those living in special wildlife reserves.
- Kangaroos give birth a few weeks after conception. This is done by a female kangaroo in a sitting position, sticking her tail between her legs. The cub is born very small (no more than 25 grams) and gains further strength in the mother’s pouch, where it crawls immediately after birth. There he finds extremely nutritious and, which is very important for his still unformed immune system, antibacterial milk.
- Female kangaroos can produce two types of milk. This happens because there can be two babies in a kangaroo’s pouch: one is a newborn, the second is almost an adult.
- Kangaroo meat can be eaten. It is believed that kangaroos served as the main source of meat for the aborigines of Australia over the past 60 thousand years. Currently, a number of Australian scientists, citing the small amount of harmful gases emitted by kangaroos during their life, propose replacing them in the food chain with the familiar, but extremely harmful, cows and sheep. Actually, the kangaroo meat industry in modern history dates back to 1994, when active supplies of kangaroo meat came to the European market from Australia.
Kangaroos (Macropodinae) are a subfamily of marsupial mammals. Body length is from 30 to 160 cm, tail - from 30 to 110 cm, kangaroos weigh from 2 to 70 kg. 11 genera, uniting about 40 species. Distributed in Australia, on the islands of New Guinea, Tasmania, and on the Bismarck Archipelago. Most species are terrestrial forms; They live on plains overgrown with thick tall grass and bushes. Some are adapted to climbing trees, others live in rocky places.
Crepuscular Animals; They usually stay in groups and are very careful. They are herbivorous, but some eat worms and insects. They reproduce once a year. Pregnancy is very short - 30-40 days. They give birth to 1-2 underdeveloped cubs (a giant kangaroo has a baby body length of about 3 cm) and carry them in a pouch for 6-8 months. During the first months, the cub is tightly attached to the nipple with his mouth and milk is periodically injected into his mouth.
The number of kangaroos varies greatly. Large species are greatly exterminated, some small ones are numerous. In high concentrations, kangaroos can harm pastures; some species destroy agricultural crops. Object of fishing (use valuable fur and meat). Kangaroos are captured for zoos, where they reproduce well.
The kangaroo was first described by James Cook. There is a very widespread legend on this score, according to which, when asked by a researcher: “What kind of animal is this?”, the leader of a local tribe replied: “I don’t understand,” which for Cook sounded like “kangaroo.” However, there is another version of how the legendary Australian jumper got his name - it is believed that the word “gangurru” means the animal itself in the language of the aborigines of northeastern Australia.
There are many varieties of kangaroos in the world. It is customary to distinguish about 60 species of these animals. The largest kangaroo - Red or Gray, can weigh up to 90 kg (the male is always larger than the female, so it makes sense to determine the maximum weight based on it), the smallest is about 1 kg (female).
The kangaroo is the only large animal that moves by jumping. In this he is helped by strong muscular legs with elastic Achilles tendons, which act like springs during a jump, and a long, powerful tail, adapted to maintain balance during a jumping movement. A kangaroo makes standard jumps within 12 meters in length and 3 meters in height. By completely transferring the weight of its body to its tail, the kangaroo can fight its opponent with the help of its freed hind legs.
Kangaroos live in the Australian bush. They can also be seen on beaches or in the mountains. Kangaroos are generally very common in the wild. During the day they like to rest in shady places and be active at night. This habit, by the way, often causes accidents on rural Australian roads, where kangaroos blinded by bright headlights can easily collide with a passing car. A special type of tree kangaroo has also adapted to climbing trees.
Kangaroos can reach great speed. Thus, the largest Red kangaroos, which usually move at a speed of 20 km/h, can cover short distances at a speed of 70 km/h if necessary.
Kangaroos don't live long. About 9-18 years, although there are known cases where some animals lived up to 30 years.
All kangaroos have pouches. No, only females have pouches. Male kangaroos do not have a pouch.
Kangaroos can only move forward. Their large tail and unusual shape of their hind legs prevent them from moving backwards.
Kangaroos live in herds. If you can call it that, a small group of a male and several females.
Kangaroo is a herbivore animal. They mainly feed on leaves, grass and young roots, which they dig with their hand-like front paws. Musk rat kangaroos also eat insects and worms.
Kangaroos are very shy. They try not to approach the person themselves, and not to let him get close to them. Animals fed by tourists can be called less shy, and the friendliest on this list are those living in special wildlife reserves.
Female kangaroos are constantly pregnant. Direct pregnancy in a kangaroo lasts about one month, after which the baby kangaroo remains in the pouch for about 9 months, occasionally getting out.
Kangaroos give birth a few weeks after conception. This is done by a female kangaroo in a sitting position, sticking her tail between her legs. The cub is born very small (no more than 25 grams) and gains further strength in the mother’s pouch, where it crawls immediately after birth. There he finds extremely nutritious and, which is very important for his still unformed immune system, antibacterial milk.
Female kangaroos can produce two types of milk. This happens because there can be two babies in a kangaroo’s pouch: one is a newborn, the second is almost an adult.
A baby kangaroo that gets out of its pouch may die. In fact, this only applies to the smallest, unformed kangaroo chicks, who cannot live outside the protective and nurturing environment of the mother’s body. Baby kangaroos at the age of several months can leave the rescue pouch for a short time.
Kangaroos do not hibernate. Pure truth.
Kangaroo meat can be eaten. It is believed that kangaroos served as the main source of meat for the aborigines of Australia over the past 60 thousand years. Currently, a number of Australian scientists, citing the small amount of harmful gases emitted by kangaroos during their life, propose replacing them in the food chain with the familiar, but extremely harmful, cows and sheep. Actually, the kangaroo meat industry in modern history dates back to 1994, when active supplies of kangaroo meat came to the European market from Australia.
Kangaroos are dangerous to humans. Basically, kangaroos are quite timid and try not to come close to humans, but several years ago there were cases of brutal kangaroos drowning dogs and attacking people, mostly women. The most common cause of animal anger is simple hunger in the arid regions of Australia.
Kangaroos belong to the order of marsupial two-incisor mammals. These animals cannot be confused with any others, as they are unique in terms of behavior and appearance. In total, there are 69 species of kangaroos in the world, which never cease to amaze the imagination with their characteristics.
The size of kangaroos varies depending on the species. Thus, the largest representative is the eastern gray kangaroo. Its weight can reach 85 kg, and its length is 3 m. Quite impressive in size, you must agree. The smallest individuals of this family weigh only 3 - 7 kg. Their size varies from 27 to 63 cm.
These babies include:
- philanderers;
- striped kangaroo hares;
- short-tailed kangaroos.
The body of the animal is well developed, with pronounced muscles. The only part of the body that is comparatively less well formed is the front legs. They are a little short, but quite suitable for performing simple tasks. The hind legs are massive and strong. It is thanks to these limbs that kangaroos are able to move quickly enough and perform their amazing jumps. And the elongated tail, which can reach 1 m in length, helps to maintain balance in a jump or in a fight.
The kangaroo's head is small, slightly elongated, with large ears and eyes. What is noteworthy is that the animal has eyelashes that perform a protective function from winds and dust. The jaw has an unusual structure: its lower ends are curved inward. The mammal has 32–34 teeth without a root system.
Where does the animal live?
Those who are just beginning to get acquainted with this funny animal will, of course, become interested in where kangaroos live. Many will call Australia his homeland, and this is partly the correct answer. But it’s not only there that you can meet such special creatures.
They also live on the Bismarck Archipelago and on such nearby islands as:
- New Guinea;
- Tasmania;
- Hawaii;
- Kawau;
- New Zealand (artificially introduced).
Kangaroos choose different climatic zones as their habitat: from dry deserts (central regions of Australia) to dense forests with eucalyptus trees (outskirts of the continent, basins of the Murray and Darling rivers, states of New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland).
For example, wooden kangaroos are unique representatives of this family who like green thickets. But their relatives, hare kangaroos, feel most comfortable in semi-desert and desert areas. Often these animals are attracted to fertile areas. Some small individuals can be found in rocky mountainous areas. They spend most of their time in places with good shade.
Lifestyle and nutrition
The way of life of small and large kangaroos is not the same. Therefore, we will consider each separately. Thus, small individuals prefer to stay aloof. They do not form groups, with the exception of females with newborn cubs. Their active phase of life begins at night: during this period of the day they hunt and feed. During the day, due to the unbearable heat, animals hide in secluded places.
Large kangaroos gather in groups, which sometimes number up to 65 individuals. Large companies of kangaroos find it easier to resist their enemies.
Belonging to such a community is free - any animal can easily join it or, conversely, leave it.
It is impossible to give a definite answer to the question of what kangaroos eat. Everything again depends on the type and territory of residence of a particular animal.
The diet of these creatures includes:
- prickly and soft grass;
- plant roots;
- mushrooms;
- leaves;
- seed;
- fruits;
- some vegetables (corn).
Although such mammals are mostly herbivores, there are also omnivores among their representatives.
They can find and eat bird eggs and even small chicks. Similar preferences are characteristic of forest kangaroos, which, among other things, feed on tree bark and cereal crops.
Reproduction and care of offspring
The mating season for kangaroos lasts almost the entire year, with the exception of some representatives for whom this process takes only a certain period. Sexual maturity in females occurs at the age of two years, in males later. Older and larger individuals have a reasonable chance of winning the fight and, as a result, gaining access to the female.
In order to win it back, males start serious fights that have serious health consequences or even threaten the life of the animal. The winner is the one who knocks his opponent to the ground and beats him with his hind limbs, and, as you know, kangaroos have quite strong ones. A male who has defeated an opponent leaves traces of his saliva on the area. This smell makes it clear to other individuals that there is an owner here. What is noteworthy is that animals can leave such marks on their partners in order to protect them from unwanted advances.
Kangaroos have a short pregnancy - only a month. As a rule, one female gives birth to one cub, less often two or three.
Due to the lack of a placenta in these mammals, babies are born very weak and not independent. For a long time (from six months to a year) they are in the so-called mother’s pouch, located on her stomach. The cub feeds on the female's milk, the supply of which she regulates with her muscles. When the baby kangaroo gets stronger, it will be able to gradually crawl out and explore the world around it. But when danger appears, the mother again hides it in her bag.
An interesting fact is that in parallel a female can raise two babies of different ages. At the same time, only her youngest child has the right to live in the bag, and both have the right to feed from the nipples. These mothers even developed the physiological ability to give different amounts of milk to their babies, depending on their age.
Natural enemies
Although the kangaroo animal seems peaceful and harmless in appearance, it has its own enemies that arose historically in the process of evolution. All the enemies of this mammal are united with it by its habitat.
The most dangerous of them are:
- wild dog Dingo;
- marsupial wolf (now extinct);
- large snakes;
- predator birds.
While snakes and birds are only able to catch small kangaroos or their young, wild Dingoes are able to catch even a large representative, which can develop great speed on land and deliver heavy blows with its hind legs. But cunning dogs have developed a special strategy that allows them to avoid engaging in direct combat with massive animals. A pack of dogs chases a kangaroo into the water, trying to drown it.
Midges give these jumpers no less trouble than Dingo dogs. Appearing after a rainy period, she attacks kangaroos, stinging their eyes. In some cases, such an encounter even leads to temporary or permanent blindness. Sandworms and fleas also plague poor mammals, significantly reducing their quality of life.
Kangaroo and man
Like kangaroos to humans, kangaroos can cause serious harm to humans. Thus, careless contact with an animal can lead to serious injuries. The fact is that the strength of the hind legs of this mammal is enormous and, suspecting something is wrong, it can deftly defend itself with them.
History knows many cases where people were hospitalized with a broken skull or broken limbs as a result of an encounter with this animal.
Due to the decline in the number of Dingo dogs, a rapid increase in the number of kangaroos began. The increase in their population this century has seriously worried Australian farmers. The reason for the indignation is the malicious habit of these creatures to destroy crops and harvests. Recently, local authorities officially allowed the shooting of kangaroos, citing drought and lack of moisture for livestock. But marsupials, due to their natural abilities, can quench their thirst with dew or herbal juice for about a month, which calls into question the government’s decision.
The uncontrolled destruction of kangaroos puts many of their species at risk of extinction. This is also facilitated by foxes brought to the continent, which were used as assistants in sport hunting. The red predators quickly realized that not only the same imported rabbits, but also local small kangaroos were excellent prey.
Unusual marsupial mammals require close study and protection, as they carry biological and historical value.
Let's take a look at some interesting facts about this animal:
- Australian aborigines have long consumed kangaroo meat. It is their food base, as it has low fat content and a sufficient amount of protein.
- Animal skin is used as a material for making jackets, bags, wallets and other accessories.
- The female kangaroo has three vaginas: two of them are intended for mating and conceiving a baby, the third is for his birth.
- Few people know that “kangaroo” is a collective concept. It is intended to identify a family of large individuals, with smaller representatives called wallaroos and wallabies.
- The kangaroo and ostrich are the official symbols of Australia. They adorn its coat of arms not only because this country has become their habitat. Due to their natural characteristics, these animals are not able to walk backwards, which became a symbolic principle for the creators of the state emblem.
In order for kangaroos to delight our descendants with their uniqueness for many centuries to come, it is worth paying special attention to them. Rational interaction between man and nature guarantees the conservation and reproduction of all animal species, including those on the verge of extinction.
I have never been to Australia, but admire kanguRU happened at the St. Petersburg Zoo. These amazing animals originally from Australia and are even a symbol of this country. My family and I went to St. Petersburg in the spring, and just at that time three female kangaroos had cubs at the zoo. The largest of them had already appeared from mom’s bag, but only for a few seconds, and we never saw the rest. The zoo staff told us a lot of interesting things about these animals.
What do kangaroos eat?
Kangaroo are divided into different types, but almost all of them are herbivores. There are very few representatives of these animals that feed on various insects and worms. Their weight is rather large and reaches 80 kg, and their height is 1.5 meters. There are kangaroos with larger sizes. Before, I didn’t even know that kangaroos only eat plants. The animal is quite powerful, and, accordingly, it requires a lot of energy. It turns out that they are the most best jumpers among all the animals in the world. A kangaroo can jump up to a height of 3 meters and jump over a piece of land 12 meters long. I'd like to see how they move in the wild.
Kangaroo in huge quantities eat various plants. In nature, their diet includes:
- clover;
- alfalfa;
- blooming leguminous plants;
- leaves various trees and shrubs;
- rhizomes plants;
- fern.
At the zoo they try to feed them food similar to what they eat in the wild.
Kangaroo lifestyle
What struck me most was the story of a zoo employee about how kangaroos are born. Their fetus develops for 40 days, after which the baby is born and moves into the mother’s pouch. There it continues to grow for about 6-8 months.
Kangaroo is pack animals. They live in groups of 10-30 individuals. The main ones in the pack are females. Large species of kangaroo live simply in the open air, while smaller ones can live in burrows or in trees. They live longer in captivity, than in natural conditions, so I think kangaroos chewing fresh greens in the zoo feel pretty good there.
What does a kangaroo eat?
The kangaroo is the most famous marsupial on the planet. There are about fifty species of these stunning animals. They live in New Guinea, New Zealand, Tasmania and Australia. Their habitat is vast.
Most kangaroo species live in open woodlands or grassy plains. They prefer desert areas. What does a kangaroo eat in the desert is an interesting question. They look for insects and various plants. They don't need to eat much to survive. They can go without water for about a month. There are species that prefer to settle near or directly on the mountains. Mountain kangaroos can rise so high that they reach the snow cover that lies on the mountain slopes all year round. The most amazing are tree kangaroos. They love forests and settle near trees. These kangaroos can even climb trees, although their hind legs and tail are not prehensile.
Without exception, all kangaroos move on their hind legs and jump. They do not know how to move their paws in turn, that is, take steps. Interestingly, in captivity they live for about fifteen years; domesticated animals can live up to 25 years.
These are herd animals, gathering in groups of up to 30 individuals. The exceptions are rat and mountain kangaroos. They prefer solitude. In nature they have enemies. Dingoes used to hunt kangaroos. Now they have practically disappeared. Small kangaroos are preyed on by snakes, birds and martens. After foxes and cats appeared in Australia, the number of enemies was replenished. A large specimen is not so easy to kill. They can take care of themselves. A powerful blow from the hind legs will easily kill the dog.
What does a kangaroo eat?
They eat mainly plant foods:
grass;
roots and leaves of plants, love eucalyptus and acacia;
kidneys;
legumes;
ferns;
fruits and berries;
creepers.
Some animal species eat insects and worms. Desert-dwelling marsupials feed on needle-like plants called porcupine grass. They love plant shoots, which contain a lot of sugar and protein.
On average, males consume more food than females. The latter prefer abundant pastures. Plants rich in protein have a good effect on the quality of milk. Kangaroos give birth to one baby once a year. Animals entering farmers' fields can eat the entire crop.
There are special farms for breeding kangaroos. There is always a demand for their meat. Australia is the main supplier of their meat. Kangaroos are used to make canned food for people and dogs. These animals quickly get used to people. They reproduce well in captivity. Recently, it has become fashionable in Australia to have a kangaroo at home as a pet.
