Kangaroo habitat. Kangaroos are the best jumpers on the planet. Animal lifestyle. Where do kangaroos live in Australia?
Kangaroo (Macropodinae) is a subfamily of marsupial mammals. Body length 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 New Guinea, Tasmania, in the Bismarck archipelago. Most species are terrestrial forms; They live on plains overgrown with dense tall grass and shrubs. Some are adapted to climbing trees, others live in rocky places.
Twilight animals; usually kept in groups, very cautious. Herbivorous, but some eat worms and insects. They breed once a year. Pregnancy is very short - 30-40 days. They give birth to 1-2 underdeveloped cubs (in a giant kangaroo, the body length of a cub is about 3 cm) and carry them in a bag for 6-8 months. For the first months, the cub is tightly attached to the nipple with its mouth and milk is periodically injected into its mouth.
The number of kangaroos is very different. Large species are heavily exterminated, some small ones are numerous. At high concentrations, kangaroos can harm pastures, some species destroy crops. Fishing object (use valuable fur and meat). Kangaroos are caught for zoos, where they breed well.
The kangaroo was first described by James Cook. There is a very common legend on this subject, according to which, when asked by the researcher: “What kind of animal is this?”, The leader of the local tribe replied: “I don’t understand,” which sounded like “kangaroo” to Cook. However, there is another version of getting the name of the legendary Australian jumper - it is believed that the word "gangurru" means the animal itself in the language of the natives of northeastern Australia.
There are many varieties of kangaroos in the world. It is customary to distinguish about 60 species of these animals. Most big 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 according to it), the smallest is about 1 kg (female).
Kangaroo is the only one large animal moving by jumping. In this, he is helped by strong muscular legs with elastic Achilles tendons, which act like springs during the jump, and a long powerful tail, adapted to maintain balance during jumping. Kangaroo makes standard jumps within 12 meters in length and 3 in height. Fully transferring the weight of its body to the tail, the kangaroo, with the help of the released hind legs, can fight with its opponent.
Kangaroos live in the Australian bush. They can also be seen on the beaches or in the mountains. Kangaroos are generally very common in wild nature. During the day they like to rest in shady places, and at night they are active. 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. special kind tree kangaroos have also adapted to climbing trees.
Kangaroos can develop great speed. So the largest Red Kangaroos, usually moving at a speed of 20 km / h, can, if necessary, cover short distances at a speed of 70 km / h.
Kangaroos don't live long. About 9-18 years old though famous cases when individual animals lived up to 30 years.
All kangaroos have bags. No, only females have bags. Male kangaroos do not have a pouch.
Kangaroos can only move forward. Their large tail prevents them from moving backwards. unusual shape hind legs.
Kangaroos live in herds. If you can call it that, a small group of a male and a few females.
Kangaroo is a herbivore. Basically, they feed on leaves, grass and young roots, which they dig with their front, hand-like 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 close to them. Less shy can be called animals fed by tourists, and the friendliest on this list will be individuals living in special wildlife reserves.
Female kangaroos are constantly pregnant. The kangaroo's pregnancy itself lasts about one month, after which the kangaroo stays in the bag for about 9 months, occasionally getting out.
Kangaroos give birth a few weeks after conception. The female kangaroo does this 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 two babies can be in a kangaroo bag: one is a newborn, the second is almost an adult.
A kangaroo cub that gets out of the bag may die. In fact, this applies only to the smallest, not yet formed kangaroos, which cannot live outside the protective and nutritious environment of the mother's body. Kangaroos at the age of several months may leave the rescue bag for a short time.
Kangaroos do not hibernate. Pure truth.
Kangaroo meat can be eaten. It is believed that it was kangaroos that served as the main source of meat for the Aborigines of Australia over the past 60 thousand years. Currently, a number of Australian scientists, referring to the small amount of harmful gases emitted by kangaroos in the process of life, propose to replace them in the food chain with all the usual, but extremely harmful, cows and sheep. Actually, the kangaroo meat industry in modern history originates from 1994, when active supplies of kangaroo meat went to the European market from Australia.
Kangaroos are dangerous to humans. Basically, kangaroos are quite shy and try not to approach a person even on close quarters However, a few years ago, cases were recorded when brutalized kangaroos drowned dogs and attacked people, mostly women. Most often, the cause of the bitterness of animals is called ordinary hunger in the arid regions of Australia.
Kangaroos are the best jumpers on our planet: the length of one jump is three meters in height and about twelve in length. They move in huge leaps at a speed of about 50 km / h, pushing off the surface with strong hind legs, while an important role is played by the tail, which plays the role of balance and helps to maintain balance.
Therefore, it is impossible to catch up with the animal, especially since during the flight it is capable of anything: once a large red kangaroo, running away from farmers, jumped a three-meter fence. If someone who wants to eat kangaroo meat is lucky enough to overtake him, the marsupial will use its hind legs. To do this, it will transfer the entire weight of the body to the tail, and freeing both hind legs, inflict terrible wounds on the enemy.
Kangaroos are called marsupial mammals from the group of two-cutters (they have two large incisors on the lower jaw). The word is used in two meanings:
- They are applied in a broad aspect to all representatives of the kangaroo family, and this is from 46 to 55 species. It includes a family of herbivores that move by jumping, have undeveloped forelegs, and vice versa, extremely developed hind legs, and also have a strong tail that helps to maintain balance during movement. Because of this structure, the body of the animals is in an upright position, while leaning on the tail and hind legs. Thus, three species are distinguished: kangaroo rats are the smallest individuals; wallabies - are of medium size, outwardly resemble a smaller copy of large animals; large kangaroos are the marsupials of Australia.
- They call the largest representatives of marsupials from the long-legged family, which are an unofficial symbol of Australia: they can be seen on the coat of arms, coins.
Representatives of the family live in both arid regions and tropical forests in Australia, Tasmania, New Guinea, on the Bismarck Islands. AT late XIX- the beginning of the XX century. took root well in Germany and England, successfully bred and even tolerated snowy winters, but they were powerless against the poachers, who completely exterminated them.
Description
Depending on the species, members of the family have a length of 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 a resident of the Australian continent - a large red kangaroo, and the heaviest - an eastern gray kangaroo. The fur of marsupials is soft, thick, it can be gray, black, red colors and their shades.
Kangaroo animal is interesting because it top part poorly developed. The head is small, the muzzle can be both long and shortened. 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, combing wool.
And here Bottom part the body is developed: hind legs, a long thick tail, the hips are very strong, they have four fingers on the foot, while the second and third are connected by a membrane, the fourth has a strong claw.
Such a structure makes it possible to successfully defend themselves with the help of powerful blows with the hind legs, and move quickly (while the tail replaces the steering wheel of the marsupial). These animals are unable to move backward - this is not allowed by their too large tail and the shape of the hind legs.
Lifestyle
Marsupials prefer to lead night image life, with the onset of twilight appearing in the pastures. During the day, they rest in burrows, nests made of grass, or in the shade of trees.
If one of the animals notices any danger (for example, a dingo dog wanted to taste kangaroo meat), a message about this is immediately transmitted to the rest of the pack by hitting the hind legs on the ground. To convey information, they often use sounds - grunting, sneezing, clicking, hissing.
If favorable conditions for living are observed in the area (an abundance of food, no danger), marsupials may well form a large community of one hundred individuals. But, usually they live in small flocks, which consist of a male, several females and kangaroos growing up in a bag. At the same time, the male very jealously guards the flock from other males, and if they try to join, fierce fights occur.
These animals are characterized by attachment to a certain territory, and they prefer not to leave it without special reasons (the exception is the huge red kangaroo animals, which are able to overcome several tens of kilometers in search of the best food sites).
Despite the fact that marsupials are not particularly smart, they are very resourceful and can adapt well: if their usual food is no longer enough, they switch to other foods, while eating plants that even animals that are not picky in food (for example, dry, hard and even thorny grass).
Nutrition
Marsupials feed on leaves of trees and shrubs, bark, roots, shoots, some species hunt insects and worms. They either dig out food or cut it with their teeth, while it is worth noting that they usually have upper fangs either not at all, or they are poorly developed, but there are two large incisors on the lower jaw (another interesting fact is that, unlike most mammals, their teeth are constantly changing).
Marsupials are very well adapted to drought, so they can do without water for several days and even months ( most liquids they take from plant foods).
If they still feel very thirsty, they dig a well a meter deep with their paws, and get to the precious moisture (along the way, helping other animals suffering from lack of water). At this time, they try not to waste energy: during the drought months, they move less and spend more time in the shade.
reproduction
The ability to reproduce offspring begins as early as one and a half to two years (they live from 9 to 18 years, there have been cases when individual specimens have lived to be thirty). At the same time, the males are fighting so fiercely for the female that the collision often ends in severe injuries.
The female is born basically only one kangaroo cub, less often - twins. Before the baby is born, the mother carefully licks the pouch (a leather fold on the abdomen intended for the development of the baby kangaroo) and cleans it.
Pregnancy lasts from one to one and a half months, so the kangaroo is born blind, without hair, its weight does not exceed one gram, and its length is no more than three centimeters in large species. As soon as he is born, he instantly clings to his mother's wool and crawls into a bag in which he spends about eleven months.
In the bag, he immediately grabs one of the four nipples and does not come off from it for two and a half months (on initial stage he is not yet able to suck milk, the liquid is secreted by itself under the influence of a special muscle). By this time, the baby develops, grows up, begins to see clearly, becomes overgrown with fur and begins to leave the shelter for a short time, while he is very alert and jumps back at the smallest sound.
After the kangaroo begins to leave the pouch for a long time (at the age of 6 to 11 months), the mother gives birth to the next cub. Interestingly, the female is able to delay the birth of a kangaroo cub until the previous baby leaves the pouch (it is either still too small, or adverse conditions are observed). weather e.g. drought). And then, in case of danger, he will be in the shelter for several more months.
And here an interesting picture is observed when the female begins to produce two types of milk: from one nipple, the already grown cub receives more fat milk, from the other, the newborn eats milk with a lower fat content.
Relationships with people
In nature, a large kangaroo has few enemies: kangaroo meat attracts only 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 spoiling crops on 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 their 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. Animal skins are used to make clothes, shoes and other products. Animals are often hunted for sport, so many species are found only in uninhabited areas.
There is an interesting myth. When the English navigator, discoverer, illustrious James Cook for the first time on the ship "Endeavor" sailed to east coast continent, then new to everyone, and was surprised to find there many types of previously unknown plants and unusual representatives of the fauna, one of the strange-looking, original animals that first caught his eye was a creature that quickly moved on its hind legs, deftly pushing them off the ground.
It is not surprising that the discoverer of the continent was interested in: what is the name of the outlandish jumping creature, which to some of his people even seemed to be an overseas monster, and he received an answer from a native: "Gangurru". That is why, as the legend says, Cook decided that it was customary to call these animals that way, although the savage only told him that he did not understand him.
Since then, the name has been assigned to this outlandish representative of the fauna for Europeans: Kangaroo. And although later linguists doubted the truth of the described historical myth, this does not mean at all that the animal itself is not interesting, and the story about it is not pure truth. But now the image of this creature flaunts on state emblem Australia, being the personification and symbol of the mainland once discovered by Cook.
Kangaroo is an unusual and even in a sense fantastic creature. This is a marsupial animal, classified as a mammal, and therefore, like all relatives from this class, it produces live offspring. It only gives birth to cubs at an unusually early stage and carries them to the final formation in a bag - a convenient skin pocket located on the belly of these creatures. Marsupials are found only on the American and Australian continents, and on the lands of the latter they live most of all.
This continent, once discovered by Cook, is generally famous for its huge number of endemics, that is, specimens of fauna found only in these parts. The representative of the animal kingdom we are considering is one of them. Of the other marsupials of this part of the world, one can single out the wombat as an example - a furry animal that spends its life underground. Koala is another animal, kangaroo-like in the sense of having a skin pocket on the abdomen. In total, there are approximately 180 species of marsupials in Australia.
Kangaroos move by jumping
A remarkable part of the body of a kangaroo is their incredibly muscular, powerful hind legs with developed muscles on the hips and four-toed feet. They allow this outlandish beast to give a reliable rebuff to its offenders with their blows, and also to move with impressive speed only on two legs, while as a rudder that helps to balance and correct the trajectory of movement, using its a long tail.
It is also curious that, in contrast to the lower part of the body, which is excellently developed, the upper one seems to be underdeveloped. The head of a kangaroo is small; the muzzle may be shortened, but also long, depending on the variety; shoulders are narrow. Short front legs, not covered with hair, are weak. They are equipped with five fingers, ending in fairly long, sharp claws.
These fingers of these animals are just very developed and mobile, with which such creatures are able to grab surrounding objects, hold food and even comb their own fur. By the way, the fur of such animals is soft and thick, it can be red, gray or black in color in various shades. The legs of a kangaroo can kill a person, and the claws allow you to disembowel animals that are not very large in size.
Kinds
The name "kangaroo" is sometimes customary to refer to all members of the family bearing the name: kangaroos. But more often this word is used, meaning the most large species of the specified family (they will be described later), and small kangaroos are usually called differently. Indeed, the size of the terms different types varies quite significantly.
Kangaroos can measure no more than 25 cm, as well as up to one and a half meters or more. The largest are considered to be large red kangaroos, and members of the forest gray variety are the champions in weight (individuals of 100 kg are noted among the indicated ones). These animals are Australian endemics, but they are also found on the islands adjacent to the indicated mainland: in Tasmania, New Guinea and others. All features of their appearance are clearly visible photo of a kangaroo.
In total, fourteen genera are known in the kangaroo family. Some of them are represented more extensively, while others are less, but the number of species of kangaroos in the total count is huge. Let's describe some of them in more detail.
1. red big kangaroo. This variety belongs to the type gigantic kangaroos, individual copies of it have an average weight of 85 kg, as well as an almost meter tail. Such animals are found either in the northern part of the continent in tropical forests or along east coast in the south of the mainland, preferring to populate the fertile areas of the specified area. Jumping on their hind legs, they are able to move many tens of kilometers in an hour. Animals have a wide muzzle, and their ears are pointed and long.
Big red kangaroo
2. Eastern gray kangaroo- the species is very numerous, and the population of its individuals consists of up to two million. Members of this species, which are second in size after the above-described brethren, are closest to humans in terms of habitat, since they prefer to inhabit the densely populated areas of Australia. They are found in the south and east of the continent.
Gray eastern kangaroo
3. wallaby – small kangaroos, forming a group of species. They have a height of no more than 70 cm, but they are especially large, while the mass of some may not exceed 7 kg. However, despite their size, such animals jump skillfully. Champions of the human race would envy them. Kangaroo jump length this type can be up to 10 meters. They are found in the steppes, swamps and mountains, both on the mainland of Australia itself and on nearby islands.
Wallaby female with a cub in a bag
4. kangaroo rat more similar not even to the two animals mentioned in the name, but to rabbits. By the way, such creatures lead a life quite appropriate, living in grassy thickets, looking for and arranging their dwellings there.
kangaroo rat
5. Quokka- babies from this family with a weight of about 4 kg and the size of a cat, defenseless creatures with resemblance with other kangaroos, but also with mice.
Quokka
Lifestyle and habitat
These creatures could well serve as a symbol of perpetual motion. They are able to jump to a height exceeding their own height twice, and this is not the limit. In addition, the kangaroos of most species are not at all harmless and deftly fight, especially the largest of them. It is curious that, striking with their hind legs, in order not to fall, they have a habit of leaning on their tail.
There are many types of such animals, and each of them settles in its own corners. Green Continent, but most of all they prefer pastures and shrouds, settle on flat areas, frolicking in thickets of grass and shrubs. Some varieties also perfectly adapt to life in swamps and in the mountains among hills, stones and rocks. Often in australian kangaroo can be found near settlements and detect their presence in farmlands and even on the outskirts of cities.
Most kangaroos are naturally adapted for movement on the ground, but there are exceptions to this rule. These are tree kangaroos that live in the forests of the tropics and spend most of their existence in those places in the trees.
The population of these animals is numerous, and there are no noticeable reductions in it. However, still enough individuals die every year. Blame the flattering fires. A good reason for the decline in the number of kangaroos is also human activity, and of course the hunt for these representatives of the animal kingdom.
Although killing and harming kangaroos is prohibited under Australian law. However, such regulations are often violated by farmers for their own benefit. In addition, poachers and lovers of delicacies shoot these animals for their incomparable meat. From natural enemies these animals can be called foxes, dingoes, large and.
Nutrition
They only eat kangaroos once a day. This happens just after sunset. It is safer for them to act this way. This is all the more expedient, since by this time in tropical regions the heat is on the wane.
In terms of nutrition kangaroo – animal harmless and prefers a menu of vegetable delicacies. Larger species feed on tough prickly grass. Those that naturally have a short muzzle usually prefer to include in their diet the bulbs, tubers and roots of the most different representatives flora. Some of the kangaroos love mushrooms. Small varieties of wallabies feed on fruits, seeds, and grass leaves.
Kangaroo eats leaves
Such food does not differ in calories. However, kangaroos seek to compensate for this shortcoming with a variety of herbs and plants. True, predatory habits are inherent in tree kangaroos. In addition to bark, they can eat chicks and bird eggs.
These representatives of the animal world of the Green Continent drink surprisingly little, getting enough moisture for their bodies with dew and plant juices. However, during dry periods, the acute need for water still begins to affect. In such unfavorable times, large kangaroos are saved by digging wells. They are quite deep, it happens that they go underground to a depth of 100 meters or more.
Reproduction and lifespan
mating games kangaroo exercise in the rainy season. During the dry period, they cannot physically reproduce, since males lack the ability to produce seminal fluid. A feature of the gestation process is the early birth of cubs, after a month after conception, and bear them in bag. Kangaroo in this sense, it is similar to many representatives of the animal world of Australia.
After birth, a small baby, whose size is only about 2 cm, nevertheless turns out to be so viable that on their own climbs into the skin, equipped with strong muscles, pocket of the kengurihi, where it continues to grow and develop, enjoying milk from four mother's nipples. There he spends up to six months.
Female kangaroo with a cub
Really, kangaroo – marsupial, but not only this is its amazing features. The fact is that the female of these representatives of the fauna is able to regulate the process of her own pregnancy, delaying its development for reasons of expediency. The reason for this may be the unwanted birth of two kangaroos at once.
If the first developing fetus due to different circumstances dies, the development of a spare embryo in the body of a mother kangaroo resumes and ends with the birth of a new offspring. Another pregnancy can occur even at the moment when the first kangaroo still lives in the bag and develops beautifully. In this case, when a second baby appears, the mother's body begins to produce milk from two different types to successfully feed both babies of different ages.
The features of the females of these living beings also lie in a close relationship with their offspring throughout their lives. Nature helps mother kangaroos even regulate the process of giving birth to cubs that are comfortable for her. At the same time, female kangaroos appear in females in more young age, and in the late period, kangaroo-boys are born.
And it really makes sense. When the kenguriha reaches old age, she helps to raise the daughters of kangaroo grandchildren. Speaking about the life expectancy of these creatures, it should always be clarified: which type of kangaroo is meant, because the representatives of each of them have an individual physiological program.
Long-lived record holders are large red kangaroos, which in some cases in captivity can survive up to 27 years. Other species live less, especially in the wild. There, their lifespan is about 10 years, not to mention the fact that it can be significantly reduced due to accidents and illnesses.
Kangaroo (Macropus sp.) belongs to the type of vertebrates, the class of mammals, the subclass of marsupials, the order of two-incisors.
By the name of a systematic group, we can often judge the structural features of its representatives. In pinnipeds, the legs really resemble flippers. And in most artiodactyls, the hooves really consist of two halves. If we follow this logic, then it turns out that representatives of the marsupial order must have a bag. But firstly, the so-called brood bag is available only in females. Secondly, there are species that lack a bag, but are nevertheless considered marsupials. And finally, thirdly, there are species that have a brood bag, but have nothing to do with marsupials! Incredible, but true. No wonder scientists consider marsupials one of the most paradoxical groups.
Marsupials give birth to live cubs, but very tiny and absolutely helpless, more like worms. What prevents these animals from carrying offspring within themselves to comparative maturity? The answer to this question was found not so long ago. It turned out that the embryo in the marsupial's uterus is almost not connected with the mother, and after a while its supply of nutrients is depleted. At that stage of evolution, nature had not yet “figured out” how to provide the fetus with additional nutrition inside the mother. In addition, marsupials are simply unable to give birth to a large cub. The birth canal, along which the baby moves when born, is intertwined with them with a channel for urine output. Only a very small fetus can pass through.
Today, the order of marsupials has about 250 species, 180 of which live in Australia and on the adjacent islands. The remaining 170 species can be found in the South, Central and North America.
In fact, over 60 different species belong to the kangaroo family, with the most diverse habitat and, accordingly, a different way of life. The subfamily of real kangaroos includes animals of middle and large size- wallabies, kangaroos and wallaras.
But everyone has common features. All kangaroos have very long and strong hind legs, a long powerful tail, which is used to maintain balance when jumping, and a pouch on their stomach.
The symbol of Australia, the large red kangaroo (Macropus rufus) is the largest of the marsupials. Body length up to 1.65 m; tail - up to 1.05 m; the mass of the male is up to 85 kg, the female is up to 35 kg and easily jumps in length by 8-10 meters!
Small subspecies of kangaroos are commonly called wallabies. Rat kangaroos grow up to 50 cm in length. These animals with long hairless tails appearance strongly resemble a rat. They live in bright areas such as savannahs.
A gray, or forest, kangaroo, standing on its hind legs, can reach 1.7 m. Gray kangaroos can move at speeds up to 65 km / h, running away from hunters or cars. "Big gray", despite its impressive size, is a creature quite peaceful and trusting.
Wallaroo, or mountain kangaroo (M.robustus), differs markedly from other large kangaroos in shorter and squat hind legs, powerful shoulders, more massive build and hairless nasal area. Wallaroo live in remote rocky areas of the mountains. Rough, tenacious soles of the paws give them the opportunity not to slip even on smooth stones. They feed on grass, leaves and roots, are able to do without water for a long time, and in order to quench their thirst, they often peel off the bark from young trees and lick the juice.
The only members of the tree-dwelling kangaroo family are the tree-kangaroos found in North East Queensland and New Guinea. These are animals reaching a length of about 60 cm, with brownish fur, hardly noticeable in the foliage of trees. Tree kangaroos are adjoined by New Guinean forest or shrub kangaroos. Thick fur protects them from endless rains, and strong claws make it easy to climb branches in search of young tasty leaves. After all, these cunning people meticulously choose only the freshest and most tender!
For the most part, kangaroos live in the open plains of central Australia. Kangaroos prefer plant foods: leaves, grass, berries, cereals, as well as the roots and rhizomes of plants, which they dig out of the ground with their front paws. In the treeless expanses of Australia, kangaroos play a role similar to that herds of herbivorous ungulates play in Africa.
In search of water and food, these animals are able to travel great distances. They move in huge leaps, pushing off the ground with their strong hind legs. The tail helps them keep their balance. Kangaroos are considered the best jumpers in the world, they can move with high speed during few hours. Their jumps reach 3 m in height and 9-12 m in length. It is almost impossible to catch up with such a jumper. Therefore, kangaroos most often flee from danger by flight.
Once, a red kangaroo, fleeing from farmers chasing him, jumped over a 3 m high fence. In 1974, a fisherman who sailed on a boat about 2 km from the coast near Melbourne caught a gray kangaroo from the water. He probably tried to swim to the nearest island.
Large red kangaroos are content with dry, tough and often thorny grass (for example, trio). Every day, an adult animal eats a portion of pasture mutton. Well adapted to drought, these animals can go without water for several days and get to it themselves when thirsty. To do this, they dig a well with their paws about a meter deep. During the daytime, the air temperature in their habitats can exceed 30 degrees Celsius, so the front paws of kangaroos are devoid of hair, and animals lick them to cool.
Kangaroos live in small groups led by adult males. They guard their females from males from other groups. Often there are violent fights between them.
In the season of love, males fight endless duels over females. Leaning on their tails, they stand on their hind legs and, like wrestlers, wrap their front legs around each other. To win, you need to knock the opponent to the ground and beat with your hind legs. Sometimes the case ends in serious injuries, especially since the legs have razor-sharp claws.
Kangaroo lives for about 15 years in the wild and up to 25 years in captivity. Age of puberty: between 18 months and 2 years. Mating takes place throughout the year. The duration of pregnancy is 33 days, and then the cub develops from 6 to 11 months in a bag on the mother's belly.
The kangaroo's belly pouch is a skin fold that is intended for the development of a cub in it. Most often, a kangaroo has one cub, less often twins, and only a musky kangaroo rat gives birth to several babies. Biologists have observed what happens when a large red kangaroo is born. Before his birth, the female licks her bag, cleaning it up.
A kangaroo is born naked, blind, helpless and very small. The size of a premature baby is no more than 1 g in weight and 2 cm in length! However, this kid immediately grabs the wool on the mother's stomach and crawls into the bag himself. Here he greedily grabs one of the four nipples with his mouth and literally sticks to it for the next two-plus months. Gradually, the cub grows, develops, opens its eyes, becomes covered with fur. Then he begins to make short sorties out of the bag, immediately jumping back at the slightest rustle.
A kangaroo leaves its mother's pouch at the age of 8 months. And immediately the mother gives birth to the next baby, who sneaks into the bag - to the other nipple. Surprisingly, from that moment on, the female produces two types of milk: more fat for feeding the older one and less fat for the newborn.
Kangaroos grab food with their forelimbs and bring it to their mouths, combing their hair. The rear, much longer, help them defend themselves with powerful blows that they distribute to the right and left in the fight against their own kind and other animals.
The tail is also used while running - it replaces the kangaroo steering wheel, helping to change direction, and when the kangaroos defend themselves, the tail serves as a reliable support.
In nature, kangaroos have very few enemies. These include dingoes, foxes and predator birds. Kangaroos do not always flee from them, sometimes they can defend themselves. Powerful paws help in this kangaroo. The animal, leaning on its tail, raises its hind legs and strikes with them strong blows adversary. With its sharp claws, the animal can even inflict mortal wounds on the enemy.
Against the dingo, he has another trick: he pushes him into the river and, leaning on top, strives to drown him. But the main enemy of the kangaroo, like all other animals in the world, is man. Cattle breeders (alas, not without reason) accuse kangaroos of grassland grassland and shoot them, as well as scatter poisonous baits. Official hunting for population control provides meat for pet food and leather for clothes and shoes. Rare species kangaroos are protected by law, but these measures are not enough: most recently, for example, the broad-faced rat kangaroo disappeared from the face of the earth. The big gray kangaroo is also in a deplorable position.
Bulldozer - Apr 24th, 2015
Kangaroos got their name from 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.
Animal kangaroo is marsupial mammal. There are about seventy varieties of kangaroos, from very tiny 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 eat plant foods, mostly grass. They stand upright on their hind legs, leaning on a powerful tail. They also move on their hind legs, performing jumps up to 10 m. They can also develop decent speed over short distances - up to 60 km per hour. They are nocturnal to escape the heat of the day.
Kangaroos are common in Australia, Tasmania, New Guinea, introduced to 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, less often three very small cubs are born. Giant kangaroos have newborns up to three centimeters in size. Then the babies live in their mother's bag 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 box incomparably with both front and hind legs. It is difficult for a person to cope with them, therefore such “fights” are very popular with the audience.
Wild Australia Red Kangaroo Desert
Video: Fights without rules. Kangaroo vs kickboxer!