Where do kangaroos live, what do they eat and how do they breed? Kangaroo - visiting card of Australia Kangaroo habitat.

Probably not enough words to describe all the diversity of the animal world of our planet. Almost every country and every region has its own unique endemic animals that are found only in a particular area. A prime example such creatures is the kangaroo.

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

However, if you dig wider, then the animal kangaroo can live:

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

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

Where do kangaroos live: animal description and lifestyle

Main characteristics

Kangaroo belongs to the infraclass of marsupials and is a fairly large animal 100-170 centimeters high and weighing 20-40 kilograms. Such characteristics define males, because. females are slightly smaller and lighter. The main feature of the animals is the light gray or reddish-red color of the coat, bare black nose and long ears, which allow you to successfully capture the most insignificant sounds and determine the approach of the enemy.

Also, the animal has long hind legs and a flexible tail, which allows you to maintain balance when making complex and long jumps. During the movement, the animal can develop an incredible speed, which often reaches 60 kilometers per hour. If the kangaroo notices danger, it can accelerate up to 90 kilometers per hour. Naturally, he can only run at that speed for a few minutes. The front legs are much shorter than the hind legs and have sharp claws. The animal uses its claws to protect itself from predators and search for water in dry ground. Also, the claws serve as an indispensable tool in clarifying the relationship with each other.

How many live?

The life expectancy of a kangaroo often reaches 18 years. Puberty ends at the age of two, and the mating procedure can last a whole year. A pregnant female carries a cub for 32 days, after which a small kangaroo is born. His locals called joey. The baby is born completely blind and without fur. At the same time, its dimensions are incredibly tiny - 2.5 centimeters. In the first days after birth, a tiny creature climbs into the mother's bag and continues to be there for up to six months. When he turns six months old, he begins to take the first independent steps, after which he still returns to the bag.

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

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

Where do kangaroos live and what do they eat?

Kangaroos can live in four main regions:

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

Less often they can be found on the territory of the Bismarck archipelago.

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

Lifestyle Features

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

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

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

Kangaroo gets along well with people and is practically not afraid of contact with them. Currently, the animal can be found in an ordinary city park or in the forest. If you manage to meet a kangaroo in wild nature maybe he will let you take a picture with him and feed him by hand.

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

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

Kangaroo: description of the animal

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

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

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

Animal lifestyle. Where do kangaroos live in Australia?

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

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

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

The history of the name of the animal

Such an eccentric name - "kangaroo" - the animal received thanks to the discoverers of an unknown continent at that time. When the Europeans saw these amazing animals, they asked the natives: "Who is this?" To which the locals replied, "Ken Gu Ru", which translates to "we don't understand." Sailors thought it was the name of an animal. So the name "kangaroo" stuck to him.

kangaroo island

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

wallaby

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

Where do wallabies live?

Mountain wallabies live in forest thickets and are found throughout Australia. They lead the same way as their brothers, giant kangaroos, predominantly nocturnal. They feed on succulent grass, tree bark and young shoots. Swamp wallabies live in wet plains.

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

kangaroo rat

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

brush-tailed kangaroo

This marsupial is the size of a rabbit. The coat is quite long, the upper part is dark in color with black speckles, and the coat on the belly is off-white. This type of kangaroo got its name because of the crest of shaggy black hair on part of the tail. The length of his body is sixty-seven centimeters, of which thirty-one is the tail. The animal digs depressions in the ground, which are lined with grass and branches, it turns out a kind of nest. The bushy-tailed kangaroo chooses a place for a bed in dense thickets of grass, so it is very difficult to see it in the wild. lie in the nests, and come out to feed at night. The animals feed on grass and plant roots, which they very cleverly dig out of the ground.

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

most famous marsupial of australia- of course, a kangaroo. This animal is the official symbol of the Green Continent. His image is everywhere: on the national flag, coins, commercial products ... In their homeland, kangaroos can be found up close. settlements, in farmlands and even on the outskirts of cities.

In total, there are more than 60 species of kangaroos - from dwarf ones, no larger than a hare, to giant ones, whose growth reaches two meters. Photos and names of the most famous representatives of the kangaroo family (Macropodidae) are presented below.

tree kangaroos
Claw-tailed kangaroos
Bush kangaroos
striped kangaroo
red kangaroo
wallaby
Philanders
Potoru

Kangaroos live throughout Australia, New Guinea and the islands.

Potoroo (10 species) in addition to Australia are also found in Tasmania. They inhabit rain forests, wet hardwood forests and thickets of shrubs.

Bush and forest kangaroos inhabit New Guinea. Also, only in New Guinea live 8 out of 10 tree species.

Philanders are found in eastern Australia, New Guinea and Tasmania. They are associated with moist dense forests, including eucalyptus.

Claw-tailed species inhabit desert and semi-desert areas, their range is limited to Australia.

The red kangaroo and other representatives of the Macropus genus (gray kangaroo, common wallaroo, nimble wallaby, etc.) are found from deserts to the outskirts of Australia's humid eucalyptus forests.

Feral populations of these animals exist in some countries and outside of Australia. For example, the brush-tailed rock wallaby has found shelter in Hawaii, the red-and-gray wallaby in England and Germany, and the white-breasted wallaby in New Zealand.

Musk kangaroo rats are usually classified in the Hypsiprymnodontidae family. Their distribution is limited to the rainforests in the east of Cape York Island.

What does a kangaroo look like? Description of the animal

The kangaroo has a long massive tail, thin neck, narrow shoulders. The hind limbs are very well developed. Long, muscular thighs accentuate a narrow pelvis. On the even longer bones of the lower leg, the muscles are not so strongly developed, and the ankles are designed in such a way that they prevent the foot from turning to the side. When the animal is resting or moving slowly, its mass is distributed over long, narrow feet, which creates the effect of a stop-walk. However, when this marsupial jumps, it rests only on 2 toes - the fourth and fifth, while the second and third fingers are reduced and turned into one process with two claws - they are used to clean wool. The first finger is completely lost.

The front limbs of a kangaroo, unlike the hind limbs, are very small, mobile and somewhat reminiscent of human hands. The hand is short and wide, with five identical fingers. With their front paws, animals can grab food particles and manipulate them. In addition, they open the bag with them, and also comb the fur. Large species also use the forelimbs for thermoregulation: they lick their inner side, while saliva, evaporating, cools the blood in the network of superficial skin vessels.

Kangaroos are covered with thick hair 2-3 cm long. The color varies from light gray through many shades of sandy brown to dark brown and even black. Many species have blurred light or dark stripes down the back, around the upper thighs, around the shoulders, or between the eyes. The tail and limbs are often darker in color than the body, while the belly is usually light.

Males are often brighter than females. So, for example, male red kangaroos are sandy-red, while females are blue-gray or sandy-gray.

The body length of these marsupials is from 28 cm (for musk) to 180 cm (for red kangaroo); tail length from 14 to 110 cm; body weight - from 0.5 to 100 kg in the same species.

Jumping record holders

Kangaroos are the largest mammals that move by jumping on their hind legs. They can jump very far and fast. The usual length of the jump is 2-3 meters in height, and 9-10 meters in length! They can reach speeds up to 65 km / h.

However, jumping is not the only way they move. They can also walk on four limbs, while moving their legs together, and not alternately. In medium and large kangaroos, when the hind limbs are raised and carried forward, the animal rests on the tail and forelimbs. At large species the tail is long and thick, it serves as a support when the animal is sitting.

Lifestyle

Some of the largest species of these animals form groups of 50 or more individuals, and they can repeatedly leave the group and rejoin it. Males move from one group to another more often than females; they also use large areas of habitat.

Large social views live in open areas. They used to be attacked by terrestrial and aerial predators such as dingoes, wedge-tailed eagles and marsupials (which are now extinct). Living in a group gives marsupials undeniable advantages. So, for example, dingoes are unlikely to approach a large herd, and kangaroos can spend more time feeding. The size of the groups depends on the density of the population, the nature of the habitat and other factors.

However, most small species are solitary animals. Only occasionally you can meet 2-3 individuals in one company.

As a rule, kangaroos do not have dwellings, with the exception of musky kangaroo rats. Some species, such as the brush-tailed ones, take refuge in burrows that they dig themselves. Rock kangaroos hide for the day in crevices or piles of stones, forming colonies.

Kangaroos are usually most active during the twilight and night hours. During the day, in the heat, they prefer to rest somewhere in a shady place.

diet

The basis of the kangaroo diet is plant foods, including grass, leaves, fruits, seeds, bulbs, mushrooms and rhizomes. Some smaller species, notably the potoroo, often diversify their plant-based diet with invertebrates and beetle larvae.

Short-faced kangaroos prefer the underground parts of plants - roots, rhizomes, tubers and bulbs. It is one of the species that eats mushrooms and spreads spores.

Small wallabies feed mainly on grass.

In wooded habitats, the kangaroo's diet includes more fruit. In general, plants of many species are eaten: marsupials eat their various parts depending on the season.

Wallaroo, red and gray kangaroos prefer leaves herbaceous plants, not missing also the seeds of cereals and other monocots. Interestingly, large species can only eat grass.

The most selective in their food preferences are small species. They seek out high quality foods, many of which require careful digestion.

Procreation. The life of a kangaroo in a bag

Some species of kangaroo mating season confined to a certain season, others may breed all year round. Pregnancy lasts 30-39 days.

Females of large species begin to bear offspring at the age of 2-3 years and remain reproductive activity up to 8-12 years. Some rat kangaroos are ready to breed as early as 10-11 months old. Males reach sexual maturity a little later than females, but in large species, older individuals do not allow their participation in reproduction.

At birth, the kenurin has a length of only 15-25 mm. It is not even fully formed and looks like a fetus with underdeveloped eyes, rudimentary hind limbs and a tail. But as soon as the umbilical cord breaks, the baby, without the help of the mother on its forelegs, makes its way through her hair to the hole in the bag on her belly. There it is attached to one of the nipples and develops within 150-320 days (depending on the species).

The bag provides the newborn with the right temperature and humidity, protects, allows you to move freely. The first 12 weeks, the kangaroo grows rapidly and acquires characteristic features.

When the baby leaves the nipple, the mother allows him to leave the bag for short walks. Only before the birth of a new cub, she does not allow him to climb into the bag. The kangaroo takes this prohibition with difficulty, since it was previously taught to return at the first call. Meanwhile, the mother cleans and prepares the bag for the next cub.

The grown up kangaroo continues to follow the mother and can stick its head into the bag to feast on milk.

The period of milk feeding lasts many months in large species, but is rather short in small rat kangaroos. As the baby grows, the amount of milk changes. At the same time, the mother can simultaneously feed the kangaroo in the bag and the previous one, but with different amounts of milk and from different nipples. This is possible due to the fact that the secretion of each mammary gland regulated by hormones independently. In order for the older cub to grow quickly, it receives full-fat milk, while the newborn in the pouch is provided with skim milk.

In all species, only one cub is born, with the exception of the musky kangaroo, which often has twins and even triplets.

conservation in nature

Australian farmers annually kill about 3 million large kangaroos and wallaras, because they are considered pests of pastures and crops. Shooting is licensed and regulated.

When Australia was first settled by the first aliens, these marsupials were not so numerous, and in the second half of the 19th century, scientists even feared that kangaroos might disappear. However, the arrangement of pastures and watering places for sheep, along with a decrease in the number of dingoes, led to the flourishing of these marsupials. Only in New Guinea, things are different: commercial hunting has reduced populations and threatened the extinction of tree kangaroos and some other species with a limited distribution.

In contact with

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 terms of size, it refers to middle group and is widespread throughout the Australian continent, excluding the area rainforest. 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 views 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. Meals can be taken in different time days and depends on temperature. environment. 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 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 at the same time different ages. younger child lives in a bag, and the elder only comes to refresh himself with milk. For this, the mother has 4 nipples with different types milk: more fat 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.

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

How many years the kangaroo lives on the sunny continent is not exactly known, but Europeans learned about it, in principle, not so long ago, in the middle of the 18th century, when James Cook came to Australia.

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

Description and lifestyle of a kangaroo

Kangaroos, like most animals in Australia, are marsupials. This means that the female kangaroo carries her cubs, which are born underdeveloped, in a bag formed by folds of skin on her stomach. But these are not all differences. Australian kangaroo from other animals, its peculiarity is the way of movement. Kangaroos move by jumping, much like grasshoppers or jerboas do. But the grasshopper is an insect, and the jerboa is a small rodent, for them it is acceptable. But for a large animal to move, making jumps, and rather large ones, this is not likely from the point of effort. After all, an adult kangaroo can jump up to 10 meters in length, and almost 3 meters in height. This is what kind of force is needed to launch a body weighing up to 80 kg into flight. That's how much it weighs gigantic kangaroo. And in such an unusual way, a kangaroo can reach speeds of up to 60 km / h or more. But it is difficult for him to move back, his legs are simply not adapted for this.

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

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

But imagine the force of this monster's hind leg. With one blow, he can easily kill. In addition, he has huge claws on his hind legs. Considering that in Australia the largest land predator is the Dingo Wild Dog, which cannot be compared with a kangaroo in size, it becomes clear why the kangaroo has practically no enemies. Well, maybe only a crocodile, but where kangaroos usually live, there are almost no crocodiles. Truth real danger represents a python that can eat something bigger, but this is of course a rarity, but nevertheless, here is a fact when a python dined on a kangaroo.

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

After leaving infancy, during which the mother's milk is the food, all kangaroos become vegetarians. They feed mainly on the fruits of trees and grass, some species, in addition to greens, eat insects or worms. Usually they feed in the dark, because of this, kangaroos are called crepuscular animals. These mammals live in packs. They are very cautious and do not come close to humans. However, there are cases when brutalized kangaroos drowned animals and attacked people. This happened during periods of famine, when grass was being translated into dry areas of Australia. The test of hunger kangaroo endure very hard. During such periods, kangaroos make raids on farmland, and also often go to the outskirts of towns and villages in the hope of profiting from something, which they quite succeed in.

Kangaroos have a fairly long lifespan. On average, they live 15 years, but cases have been recorded when some live up to 30 years.

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

Varieties of kangaroo

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

Gray forest kangaroos, live in forest areas. These few smaller size, but he is distinguished by great agility. The gray gigantic kangaroo, if necessary, can jump at speeds up to 65 km / h. Previously, they were hunted for wool and meat, and only thanks to their agility they have survived to our time. But their population has declined markedly, so now they are under state protection. Now in national parks they feel safe and their numbers are increasing.

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

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

Or, in another way, the Yellow-legged rock wallaby or the Yellow-footed kangaroo, mammals from the kangaroo family. This species of kangaroo prefers to settle in rocky areas, avoiding other animals and humans.

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

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

Mammal from the kangaroo family. This is a small species, otherwise called Eugenia's philander, Derby's kangaroo or tamnar, lives southern regions Eastern and Western Australia.

short-tailed kangaroo or quokka - one of the most interesting views kangaroos. Quokka is considered one and only of the Setonix genus. This small harmless animal is slightly more cat than something resembling a jerboa. Being a herbivore, it eats only plant foods. Like the rest of the kangaroo, it moves by jumping, although a small tail does not help it when moving.

Kangaroo rats, little brothers of the kangaroo family - live in the steppe and desert expanses of Australia. They look more like jerboas, but nevertheless they are real marsupial kangaroos, only in miniature. These are pretty cute, but shy creatures leading a nocturnal lifestyle. True, in flocks they can cause significant damage to crops, so quite often farmers hunt them to protect their crops.

Kangaroo and man

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

An increase in the kangaroo population was the creation of kangaroo farms. Kangaroo meat is eaten not only in Australia, but already all over the world. Deliveries of this nutritious product to Europe have been carried out since 1994. This is what packaged kangaroo meat sold in supermarkets looks like

Studies have shown that the manure of ruminants, such as sheep and cows in Australia, decomposes, emits the strongest greenhouse gases— methane and nitrous oxide. These gases are hundreds of times more powerful in creating greenhouse effect how carbon dioxide, which was previously considered the main culprit global warming.

Currently great amount livestock raised in Australia has resulted in methane and nitrous oxide accounting for 11% of total emissions greenhouse gases into the atmosphere from Australia. Kangaroos produce an incomparably smaller amount of methane. Therefore, if kangaroos are bred instead of sheep and cows, this will reduce the emission of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere by a quarter. If, within the next six years, 36 million sheep and seven million heads of large cattle replaced by 175 million kangaroos, this will not only maintain the current level of meat production, but also reduce annual greenhouse gas emissions by 3%.

The researchers argue that the use of kangaroos for meat production can be applied throughout the world, and this will not only provide a new way to provide nutrition to the world's population, but also reduce the greenhouse effect and, as a result, reduce global warming. However, there are certain difficulties in this. We need a significant cultural restructuring and, of course, considerable investment. One of the significant problems in resolving this issue is that the kangaroo is the national symbol of the country, it is depicted on the state emblem of Australia. In addition, environmentalists oppose such use of this animal.