What does a kangaroo do if it feels very thirsty. Reproduction of kangaroo. Types of kangaroos and their habitats
There are many unusual and mysterious animals in Australia, and a special place among them is occupied by kangaroos, or rather, the kangaroo family, which includes large and medium kangaroos, wallaroos and wallabies. There are also kangaroo rats, small animals similar to wallabies, but this is an independent family in the suborder Macropodiformes of the order of Dictate marsupials, which includes kangaroos.
The most famous features of kangaroos are the presence of a bag for carrying cubs and a characteristic way of movement, jumping, which allows you to quickly move and overcome various obstacles. Someone, perhaps, will remember the difficult nature of the kangaroo, leading to skirmishes and fights of adult males. But in fact, these animals still have many differences and unusual features. Some of their secrets are still a mystery to scientists.
This article does not promise a complete set of encyclopedic knowledge about the kangaroo, but is intended to tell in detail about this animal, the myths associated with it, as well as interesting facts about the kangaroo.
Appearance
Firstly, the kangaroo family is very diverse and includes more than 50 species from the smallest, up to 30 cm tall, to giant animals over 1.5 meters, reaching a weight of 90 kg. The largest members of the family are gray and red (red) kangaroos, some males of which grow up to 3 meters and weigh up to 100 kg. The physique of all members of the family is similar - powerful developed hind legs, a thick tail and small, human-like hands. Appearance determined the characteristic way of movement - springy jumps on the hind legs. Jumps of some adults reach 12 meters in length and 3 meters in height, in case of danger, kangaroos reach speeds of up to 60 km / h. A thick tail during the jump serves as a balancer, and in a calm state - an additional support, standing on its hind legs and using the tail of a kangaroo, they keep the body in an upright position. In case of danger, kangaroos inflict strong blows with their hind legs, often breaking the bones of the attacking animal. The front, underdeveloped paws with sharp claws are used to dig up roots and succulent stems.
Kangaroos cannot move backwards. The Australians noticed this and, together with the emu, which also cannot walk backwards, placed a kangaroo on the unofficial part of the Australian coat of arms above the motto "Australia, forward!", Thus symbolizing progress, only forward movement followed by the country.
Habitat
An amazing feature of kangaroos is that they can do without water for a long time, sometimes for months. They take water from plants, sometimes during dry periods, peel off the bark of trees and lick the juice. Suffering from the heat, kangaroos lick the skin, cooling in this way, but they drink water in extremely rare cases.
Kangaroos are social animals, they live both in small groups, consisting of a male with several females and cubs, and in large flocks of up to 100 kangaroos. In case of danger, kangaroos warn their fellow tribesmen by tapping their paws on the ground. Only mountain kangaroos, wallaroo, prefer to live alone. Old male wallaroos are also very aggressive. If other types of large kangaroos do not attack themselves, preferring to run away from danger, and use their special fighting techniques - claws and powerful kicks as protection, then wallaras are very pugnacious. Vallarus scratch and bite, but surprisingly, they never use their strongest tool - their legs. Why is a mystery! In Australia, kangaroo fights are widespread, they are arranged as entertainment for tourists, and for the inhabitants of the country this is a whole industry with bets on the sweepstakes.
reproduction features
Another amazing feature of kangaroos is their breeding system. Like all marsupials, their cubs are born very premature and are finally formed in their mother's pouch. But, a new kangaroo cub appears every year, as soon as the previous one finally leaves the bag. It turns out that immediately after birth, and at the marsh wallaby the day before, female kangaroos mate. The new embryo freezes in development and remains in this state until a certain “signal” - the bag is released. Thus, a caring mother can have 3 cubs at the same time - one adult who has just left the pouch, the second growing up in the pouch and the third - an embryo in pause mode.
By the way, only the female kangaroo has a bag, and she controls it using special muscles. Thus, the mother herself decides when to release the cub into the wild. When swimming, these muscles reliably protect the cub, so that not a single drop of water seeps inside. Inside the bag there are 4 nipples, each of which produces milk that differs in composition, which is required at different age periods of the cub. If a mother has 2 babies of different ages, then each will receive their own milk, which is required for development. Previously, there was an opinion that the cubs were immediately born in the bag, but in fact, a tiny born, completely unformed baby crawls into the bag along a path licked in fur and clings to the nourishing nipple. He can’t suck himself yet, so the mother, controlling the muscles of the nipple, injects milk, the nipple swells and wedges in the baby’s mouth. In such a "suspended" position, the cub will be until it grows up.
Kangaroos are also very loving and caring mothers. Not only do they feed and protect already grown cubs, let them into their bag in case of danger or simply when they need their mother's warmth, even if the younger brother is already growing in the bag. During the attack, leaving the chase, the female imperceptibly throws the cub out of the bag into the bushes or tall grass, saving him from persecution and diverting attention to herself. Later, she will definitely return for him if she herself manages to escape.
natural enemies
In nature, kangaroos have few natural enemies. Young kangaroos of smaller species are attacked by dingoes, foxes, or birds of prey. After the extermination of the main enemy of the kangaroo, the marsupial wolf, there were no serious opponents. Most of all they are bothered by sand flies, swarming in clouds near water bodies. Insects bite animals, stick to the eyes and often lead to blindness.
The scale of kangaroo populations depends on the species. Larger species have grown exponentially in recent years, and it is estimated that there are now three times as many kangaroos in Australia as there are people. Some species have become extinct or have been extirpated. Other species are shot for valuable fur and meat. Kangaroo meat is considered very healthy, as it contains a minimal amount of fat. If you do not regulate the number of some species, then highly prolific, kangaroos cause great harm to pastures and crops. Some types of kangaroos are specially bred on farms. Medium-sized wallabies are often caught for zoos in other countries, where they take root and breed well. In captivity, kangaroos are easily tamed and even interact with visitors.
And finally, we note that in Australian English, the male, female and child types of kangaroos use their own words. Males are called old man or "boomer", females - "doe" or "flyer", and the cub - "joey".
1. Kangaroos are the most famous marsupials, which personify the entire order of Marsupials in general. Nevertheless, the vast family of kangaroos, numbering about 50 species, stands apart in this order and keeps many secrets.
3. Outwardly, kangaroos do not look like any animal: their head resembles a deer, their neck is of medium length, the body is slender in the front, and widens behind, the limbs are different in size - the front ones are relatively small, and the rear ones are very long and powerful, the tail is thick and long. The forelegs are five-fingered, have well-developed toes, and look more like a primate hand than a dog's foot. Nevertheless, the fingers end in rather large claws.
5. The hind feet have only four toes (the thumb is reduced), with the second and third toes fused. The body of the kangaroo is covered with short, thick hair, which protects animals well from heat and cold. The color of most species is protective - gray, red, brown, some species may have white stripes. Kangaroo sizes vary widely: the largest red kangaroos reach a height of 1.5 m and weigh up to 85-90 kg, while the smallest species are only 30 cm long and weigh 1-1.5 kg! All types of kangaroos are conventionally divided by size into three groups: the three largest species are called gigantic kangaroos, medium-sized kangaroos are called wallabies, and the smallest species are called rat kangaroos or kangaroo rats.
7. The habitat of the kangaroo covers Australia and the adjacent islands - Tasmania, New Guinea, in addition, kangaroos are acclimatized in New Zealand. Among kangaroos, there are both species with a wide range that live throughout the continent, and endemics that are found only in a limited area (for example, in New Guinea). The habitat of these animals is very diverse: most species inhabit light forests, grassy and desert plains, but there are also those that live ... in the mountains!
8. It turns out that kangaroos among the rocks are quite normal, for example, mountain types of wallabies can rise to the level of snows.
9. But the most unusual ... tree kangaroos that live in dense forests. On the branches of trees, they spend most of their lives and very dexterously climb in the crowns, and sometimes jump over the trunks with short jumps. Considering that their tail and hind legs are not tenacious at all, then such balancing is amazing.
10. All species of kangaroos move on their hind legs; during grazing, they hold their bodies horizontally and can rest their front paws on the ground, while alternately pushing off with their hind and forelimbs. In all other cases, kangaroos keep their bodies upright. Interestingly, kangaroos are not able to move their paws sequentially, as other bipedal animals (birds, primates) do, and push off the ground simultaneously with both paws. For this reason, kangaroos cannot move backwards. Actually, walking is unknown to these animals, they move only by jumping, and this is a very energy-consuming way of movement! On the one hand, kangaroos have phenomenal jumping ability and are capable of jumping several times their body length, on the other hand, they spend a lot of energy on such a movement, therefore they are not very hardy. Large species of kangaroos can withstand a good pace for no more than 10 minutes. However, this time is enough to hide from enemies, because the longest jump of the largest red kangaroo can reach 9 or even 12 m, and the speed is 50 km/h! In height, red kangaroos can jump to a height of up to 2 m.
11. In other species, achievements are more modest, but in any case, kangaroos are the fastest animals in their habitat. The secret of such jumping lies not so much in the powerful muscles of the paws as in ... the tail. The tail serves as a very effective balancer during the jump and a fulcrum when sitting, leaning on the kangaroo's tail unloads the muscles of the hind limbs.
12. Kangaroos are herd animals and stay in groups of 10-30 individuals, with the exception of the smallest rat kangaroos and mountain wallabies, which live alone. Small species are active only at night, large ones can be active during the day, but still prefer to graze in the dark. There is no clear hierarchy in the herd of kangaroos and, in general, their social ties are not developed. This behavior is due to the general primitiveness of marsupials and the weak development of the cerebral cortex. Their interaction is limited to tracking their fellows - as soon as one animal gives an alarm, the rest take to their heels. The voice of a kangaroo is similar to a hoarse cough, but their hearing is very sensitive, so they hear a relatively quiet cry from afar. Kangaroos do not have dwellings, with the exception of rat kangaroos, which live in burrows.
13. Kangaroos feed on plant food, which they can chew twice, burping out part of the digested food and chewing it again, like ruminants. The stomach of a kangaroo has a complex structure and is inhabited by bacteria that facilitate the digestion of food. Most species feed exclusively on grass, eating it in large quantities. Tree kangaroos feed on the leaves and fruits of trees (including ferns and vines), and the smallest rat kangaroos can specialize in eating fruits, bulbs and even frozen plant sap, in addition, they can include insects in their diet. This brings them closer to other marsupials - possums. Kangaroos drink little and can go without water for a long time, being content with the moisture of plants.
14. Kangaroos do not have a specific breeding season, but their reproductive processes are very intense. In fact, the body of the female is a "factory" for the production of their own kind. Excited males arrange fights during which they grapple with their front paws and hit each other hard in the stomach with their hind legs. In such a fight, the tail plays an important role, on which the males literally rely on the fifth leg.
15. Pregnancy in kangaroos is very short, for example, female gray gigantic kangaroos carry a cub for only 38-40 days, in small species this period is even shorter. In fact, kangaroos give birth to underdeveloped embryos 1-2 cm long (in the largest species). It is surprising that such a premature fetus has complex instincts that allow it to independently (!) Get to the mother's pouch. The female helps him, licking the path in the wool, but the embryo crawls without outside help! To appreciate the magnitude of this phenomenon, imagine that human babies were born 1-2 months after conception and found their mother's breasts blindly on their own. Having climbed into the mother's bag, the kangaroo cub sticks to one of the nipples for a long time and spends the first 1-2 months in the bag without getting out.
16. At this time, the female is ready to mate. While the older kangaroo is growing up, the younger one is born. Thus, two cubs of different ages can be in the female's bag at the same time. Having matured, the cub begins to look out of the bag, and then climb out of it. True, for a long time later, a completely independent cub, at the slightest danger, climbs into the mother's bag. The kangaroo pouch is formed by very elastic skin, so it can stretch a lot and withstand the heavy weight of a grown cub. 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 calf dies, the second one immediately begins to develop, so quokkas don't waste time mating again. However, in large kangaroos there are also cases of the birth of twins and triplets. The life expectancy 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, birds of prey, snakes. After the introduction of European predators to Australia and adjacent islands, foxes and cats joined their natural enemies. If small species are defenseless in front of predators, then large kangaroos can stand up for themselves. Usually, in case of danger, they prefer to flee, but a driven kangaroo can suddenly turn to the pursuer and “hug” it with its front paws, inflicting powerful blows with its hind legs. A blow from the rear leg can kill an ordinary dog, and cause serious injury to a person. In addition, there are cases when kangaroos escaped in reservoirs and drowned the dogs chasing them in the water.
Predators are not the only problem with kangaroos. Huge harm is done to them by food competitors brought by people: rabbits, sheep, cows. They deprive kangaroos of their natural food, which is why many species have been forced out into arid desert regions. Small species are not able to migrate over long distances, so they simply disappear under the onslaught of aliens. In turn, people consider kangaroos as their competitors and unwanted neighbors, so they hunt them in every possible way. If earlier kangaroos were hunted for meat and skins, now they are simply shot, poisoned by dogs or traps are set. Australia is a major global supplier of kangaroo meat. True, its palatability is inferior to the meat of livestock, 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 kangaroo species are especially vulnerable, most of them are on the verge of extinction. 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, behave calmly next to them, but do not tolerate familiarity: attempts to caress and feed animals can cause aggression. But you need to understand that such a reaction is due to the instinct to protect the territory. In zoos, kangaroos are more affectionate to the attendants and are not dangerous. They take root and breed well in captivity and attract many visitors. Together with the emu, the kangaroo flaunts on the coat of arms of Australia and symbolizes the eternal movement forward (since they do not know how to back away).
Kangaroo is a unique animal. This is the only large mammal that moves in huge leaps, relying on powerful hind legs and a long tail. Their front paws are small and weak, outwardly similar to human hands. This unusual animal is predominantly nocturnal, and during the day it hides in the grass, while taking funny poses. Lovers of nature and unusual animals will be interested to know where kangaroos live, how they breed and what they eat.
Variety of species
There are 69 varieties of kangaroos, which are divided into three main groups: small, medium and giant. The largest marsupial animal is the red kangaroo: its height at the withers is 1-1.6 meters, and the tallest males sometimes reach 2 meters. The length of the tail adds another 90-110 cm, and the weight ranges from 50 to 90 kg. These animals move in huge leaps up to 10 meters long, reaching speeds of up to 50-60 km/h. The smallest member of this family is the musk kangaroo. His height is only 15-20 cm, and his weight is 340 grams.
The most common species is the red steppe kangaroo. In size, it belongs to the middle group and is distributed throughout almost the entire Australian continent, excluding the region of tropical forests. The friendliest and most trusting species is the giant gray kangaroo, while the most aggressive is the mountain wallaroo. This animal can show unreasonable aggression and fight even when nothing threatens it. At the same time, wallar prefer to scratch and bite, but they never use powerful hind legs, like most of their relatives.
habitats
The countries where kangaroos live are Australia, Tasmania and New Guinea, as well as New Zealand. Many species of these animals prefer to live on the plains among thick, tall grass and sparse shrubs. Kangaroos are mostly nocturnal, so this habitat allows them to securely hide during the daytime. Animals build large grass nests, and some species dig shallow burrows. Mountain species live in hard-to-reach rocky gorges. These small animals have adapted perfectly to the environment: their paws have become hard and rough to move safely over slippery stones. Tree kangaroos live in trees, they freely crawl and jump from branch to branch, but descend to the ground for food.
Kangaroos are herbivores. Like cows, they chew grass, swallow it, and regurgitate it to make it digestible. Eating can occur at different times of the day and depends on the ambient temperature. During hot periods, kangaroos can lie in the shade all day, and go out to eat at night. One of the most amazing features is that kangaroos can go months without water. On dry days, they feed on grass and tree bark, thus saturating their body with moisture.
Reproduction features
Kangaroo breeding in the wild occurs once a year. The size of a newborn cub is only 1-2 centimeters, it is born completely helpless, blind and bald, therefore, immediately after birth, it crawls into a bag on its mother’s stomach and clings to the nipple for the next 34 weeks. If the baby does not reach the bag and falls to the ground, the mother is forced to leave him: the cub is so small that the female will simply crush it if she tries to pick it up.
Inside the surface of the bag is smooth, but before the "entrance" is covered with thick, thick wool to protect the baby from cold and danger. With the help of powerful muscles, the female is able to close the bag so tightly that she can even swim, while the cub remains completely dry.
Just a few days after the baby is born, the animal is ready to mate again. Having become pregnant, the female can suspend the development of the embryo for several months, while the already born cub grows up. When the kangaroo is so strong that it can leave the mother's pouch, the female "starts" the development of pregnancy again and a new baby is born in a few weeks.
Kangaroo Enemies
Where kangaroos live, natural enemies are almost completely absent. In rare cases, foxes or dingoes can attack small individuals. Attacks by large birds such as the wedge-tailed eagle also occasionally occur. The only serious enemy of kangaroo animals in Australia is the marsupial wolf, but these predators were exterminated by hunters, and at the moment there is not a single individual left on the planet. Oddly enough, sand flies are the most dangerous. These pesky insects bite into the kangaroo's eyes, leading to blindness in most cases.
Kangaroos live in packs of 10-15 individuals. As a rule, the largest and strongest male is dominant.
Kangaroo meat is very nutritious and contains almost no fat, which is why it is very popular with consumers. Kangaroo dishes are served even in the most expensive and luxurious top-class restaurants.
These animals cannot move backward, they only walk and jump forward. Residents of Australia, the country where kangaroos live, decided to depict them on their coat of arms, demonstrating that the country is also moving only forward.
Female kangaroos can take care of two babies of different ages at the same time. The younger child lives in a bag, and the older one only comes to refresh himself with milk. To do this, the mother has 4 nipples with different types of milk: fatter for a newborn, and rich in carbohydrates for an older child.
Several kangaroos have escaped zoos in the United States, France and Ireland and then managed to breed in the wild.
Kangaroos are unique and funny. Although most species are difficult to tame, many zoos around the world have small flocks of these interesting animals, so nature lovers have the opportunity to admire them in person.
Ecology
Main:
Kangaroos are herbivorous mammals that eat a huge amount of different greens, including grass, shoots, leaves of trees and shrubs. Animals take most of the moisture from food, so they can not drink water at all for a long time.
Like cows, kangaroos have a stomach with several chambers, which allows them to digest food well. They regurgitate grass and leaves and chew them repeatedly before finally swallowing them. Also, kangaroos have special teeth: molars regularly fall out, and new ones grow in their place.
Kangaroos reach a length of 1 to 3 meters and can weigh from 18 to 100 kilograms, depending on the species. Eastern gray kangaroo - the heaviest among marsupials in the world, and big red kangaroo - the largest in size.
The hind legs and feet of the kangaroo are much stronger and longer than the front legs. They have muscular long tails, very thick at the base, which allow them to maintain balance and direct movements while jumping.
If we talk about jumping, then the kangaroo is the only large animal that jumps while moving. Males can jump up to 3 meters in height and up to 9 meters in length, and during jumps they reach speeds of up to 60 kilometers per hour.
Kangaroos are very social animals. They often live in groups - flocks, which consist of 10 to 100 individuals. Males fight for dominance.
If the kangaroo senses danger, it warns the whole flock with loud kicks on the ground. They can also make different sounds like grunting, sneezing, hissing and clicking.
Kangaroos belong to the infraclass marsupials. These animals are distinguished by the fact that they give birth to cubs underdeveloped, but they continue to develop in a special skin fold on the mother's abdomen - a bag.
The female kangaroo gives birth once a year after only a month of pregnancy. The cub at birth reaches a size of 5 to 2.5 millimeters - from the size of a grain of rice to the size of a bee.
The tiny and blind cub immediately crawls into the mother's pouch, where it continues to develop for another 120 to 400 days. Grown up cubs stick out their snouts from the bag and begin to inspect the surroundings a few weeks before they leave the bag.
Habitats:
The Kangaroo is native to Australia. They have adapted well to living in a wide variety of environments and are often seen in public parks, gardens, and even golf courses.
Red kangaroos live in dry and semi-arid areas where they feed on the scarce local greens. Because of the drought, the kangaroo population is declining because the amount of food is decreasing.
The western gray kangaroo lives in forests, woodlands, bushy areas, grasslands in eastern Australia and on the island of Tasmania.
Antelope kangaroo lives in the monsoon tropical woodland in the northern part of the continent.
Guard status: causing the least risk of extinction
The main kangaroo species do not have a serious risk of extinction, however, populations are declining due to agricultural development, habitat loss, fires and hunting. Australian law protects the eastern and western gray kangaroo. They can be hunted with a special permit for leather and meat.
Latin name for the kangaroo family macropodidae- means "big foot"
Word "kangaroo" first recorded by the British traveler and explorer James Cook, having heard the name of the animal from the locals.
A female kangaroo can become pregnant immediately after giving birth. The younger brother or sister also climbs into the bag. Both cubs, older and younger, feed on different types of milk that the mother produces.
The babies do not leave the pouch until a certain age, and they have to defecate and urinate into the pouch. When they are small, there are no particular problems, but when they grow up, some of the secretions are absorbed. Females have to clean their bags regularly.
Kangaroos have good hearing and, like cats, they prick up their ears and pick up the quietest sounds.
Kangaroos cannot walk backwards, but they are excellent swimmers.
The faster kangaroos jump, the less energy they use.
A kangaroo is an animal that has two long hind legs and two short front legs. The tail of the animal, like the ears, is long. Thanks to their ears, kangaroos can hear faint sounds, which is important in the wild.
The name "marsupial" was given to the animal because on its stomach there is a bag for cubs, which resembles a bag in its appearance. In this bag, small kangaroos are even before their birth, and then they spend all the time, some can stay there for up to 250 days.
Kangaroos are animals that live in Australia. They are not very afraid of people, you can meet a funny animal in crowded places and in the forest. In nature, there are 3 types of kangaroos: western gray, eastern gray and western red. Other species (wallabies, kuoka, kangaroo rats) are relatives of the marsupial animal.
In South Australia, Kangaroo Island is one of the largest islands on the mainland. The island got its name because there are a lot of kangaroos on its territory. It was discovered in 1802 by a sailor from England - Matthew Flinders.
Nowadays, on the island, in addition to kangaroos, you can see a wide variety of wild animals and birds. Kangaroo Island has not yet been fully mastered by man, which is why representatives of the animal and plant world are still found here in their primitive form.
Video: The ubiquitous kangaroos is a very interesting film.
Video about Kangaroo Island: Kangaroo Island, Australia — Lonely Planet travel video.
Boxing or kangaroo against man. Everything happened in the circus and no one was hurt, kangaroos generally love boxing. If you don't believe me, watch the previous video: