A herbivore with fangs like a kangaroo. Kangaroos are the best jumpers on the planet

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 back 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. Hind feet have only four toes ( thumb reduced), and the second and third fingers grow together. 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 endemic species 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 the trees they spend most of their lives and very deftly 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 social connections they 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 big role plays the tail, on which the males literally rely on the fifth leg.

15. Pregnancy in kangaroos is very short, so, female gray giant kangaroo they bear 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 most large 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, yet for a long time later, a completely independent cub, at the slightest danger, climbs into the mother's bag. The kangaroo bag is formed by very elastic skin, so it can be highly stretched and withstand big weight grown up baby. 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 all. possible ways. 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, his taste qualities inferior to livestock meat, so it is used in the production of canned food for the same dogs or as an exotic component of restaurant cuisine.

19. The total impact of all unfavorable factors is great, small 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).

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.

Red kangaroo (Macropus rufus).

Outwardly, kangaroos do not look like any animal: their head resembles a deer, their neck is of medium length, the torso 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.

Front paw of a large gray or forest kangaroo (Macropus giganteus).

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.

The brush-tailed kangaroo (Bettongia lesueur) is a representative of small rat kangaroos. Due to its tiny size, it is easy to mistake it for a rodent.

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 endemic species 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!

Mountain kangaroo, or wallaroo (Macropus robustus) among the rocks.

It turns out that the kangaroo among the rocks is a common sight, for example, mountain views of wallabies can rise to the level of snows.

Kangaroo in a snowdrift is not such a rare occurrence.

But the most unusual are 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.

Tree kangaroo Goodfellow (Dendrolagus goodfellowi) with a cub.

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, they keep the body 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, they cannot back away. 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.

Jumping red kangaroo amaze with its power.

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 tail, these animals unload the muscles of the hind limbs.

Kangaroos often rest lying on their side in a sybarite pose, scratching their sides in a funny way.

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 brethren - 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.

The yellow-footed rock wallaby (Petrogale xanthopus), also called the ring-tailed or yellow-footed kangaroo, has taken a liking to the rocks.

Kangaroos feed on vegetable 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.

A female kangaroo with a baby in a pouch.

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 struggle, the tail plays an important role, on which the combatants literally rely on the fifth leg.

Male large gray kangaroos in a mating match.

Pregnancy in these animals is very short, for example, females of the giant gray kangaroo bear 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.

• KEY FACTS
• Name: Eastern gray kangaroo (Macropus giganteus)
• Range: Australia and New Guinea
• population social group: 20-100
• Pregnancy period: 29-38 days, up to 11 months in a bag
• Gaining independence: At 18-24 months
• Territory: These kangaroos are not territorial; if necessary search Better conditions habitat, they can migrate long distances

Kangaroos have a reputation for fighting, but this behavior is only seen when one male fights another for the right to mate with a female.

The Macropodidae family includes 50 species, of which only two are representatives of the kangaroo: the red kangaroo (Macropus rufus) and the gray kangaroo. The latter is subdivided into subspecies: western gray (Macropus fuliginosus) and eastern gray kangaroo (Macropus giganteus).

Kangaroos are social animals. They are going to large groups in the grasslands, deserts and forests of Australia. More than 50 species of kangaroos and wallabies are known to science, but the social habits of the eastern gray kangaroo are the most studied.

Social groups of eastern gray kangaroos number up to 100 individuals and are called herds. In fact, the herd is not a socially organized group, characteristic of such animals as, for example, wildebeest or zebra, forming large herds. Kangaroos are always scattered. Even when they drink water from the same source, each individual guards its living space.

Herd behavior

Good hearing is essential for nocturnal animals. Big ears kangaroos catch even very faint sounds, and the herd turns to face the predator (in this case, the camera).

Each herd consists of several small family groups. Families form around a female and her cubs, called "joeys" in Australia. There are also communities of young males, already independent of their mothers, but not yet ready to breed, and old males that have passed their reproductive age. Males of reproductive age join the family group only for a short time.

Ties in a family group are stronger than in a herd. When a predator appears, the mother tries to drive it away. At this time, the young, hiding, waiting for her return. If a female carries an older cub in her pouch, she may try to throw it away so that it can escape. When the danger has passed, the female will find her offspring.

The eastern gray kangaroo is predominantly nocturnal. Families graze at night, and during the day they gather in a herd in the central part of their territory. The herd often wanders during the day to shady places where the animals feed and rest. Kangaroos communicate at night and can feed during the daytime. Feeding especially frequently is females, who usually feed two young. different ages.

Male kangaroos are almost twice as large as females, called "do" in Australia. In zoology, this phenomenon is called sexual dimorphism. Sexual dimorphism is often observed in species whose males compete with each other for the opportunity to mate with females.

Fighting skill

Although the fights seem violent, the consequences are rarely serious, thanks to the thick, tough skin on the kangaroo's belly. In addition, the losing male usually retreats before he is seriously injured. However, sometimes serious wounds remain on the body of the "fighter". This is especially likely in areas where there are many kangaroos. Here the rivalry takes on tough forms, and the males refuse to give in to each other.

Without losing vigilance, a herd of eastern gray kangaroos graze near the exit to the surface rocks. Sometimes kangaroos also graze in the bushes. The group does not have a rigid hierarchy.

The female eastern gray kangaroo becomes sexually mature at two years of age. The male, who has won all fights, mates with the female at night and stays with her until dawn, but leaves her in the morning and does not take any part in raising offspring. Moreover, adult males do not tolerate young ones and usually drive them away if they are nearby.

Cubs development

Once in the pouch, the cub clings tightly to the nipple and stays there for eight months. Then he begins to explore the surrounding reality, and hides in a bag in case of danger, as well as in order to eat. This period lasts about two months, then the kangaroo leaves the bag, but the mother feeds him for some more time. The cub becomes completely independent at 18-24 months. Females start breeding as soon as they leave their mother. Males live for several more years together, in small groups, and only at the age of 4-5 years are they old enough to breed.

Almost always, the female carries one cub in her bag and still takes care of the teenager. It is noteworthy that the mother produces two types of milk, so that each baby gets the food he needs. A baby developing in a pouch needs milk that is low in fat and high in protein, which ensures rapid growth. The teenager, on the contrary, is fed on fat milk with a low protein content, which provides him with energy. 

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 distributed throughout almost the entire 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 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. 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.

Kangaroo (lat. Macrorus) is the name commonly used for a group of animals that belong to the order of marsupial two-bladed mammals. In a broad sense, this term refers to any member of the Kangaroo family. The narrow sense of the name applies to the most major representatives families, so the smallest animals are called - wallaby and wallar.

Description of kangaroo

The word "kangaroo" owes its origin to the names "kanguroo" or "gangurru". That is what they called an animal with interesting structure bodies, Australian Aborigines who spoke the Kuuku-Yimitir language. Currently, the kangaroo is the unofficial symbol of Australia, depicted on the state emblem.

Appearance

Depending on the species characteristics, the body length of representatives of the Kangaroo family can vary in a wide range - from a quarter to one and a half meters, and the weight is 18-100 kg. The currently largest individual of marsupials of this species is represented by a fairly widespread inhabitant Australian continent- a large red kangaroo, and the largest weight is characteristic of the eastern gray kangaroo. The fur of this marsupial is thick and soft, black, gray and red, or presented in their tint range.

It is interesting! Due to the special structure of the body, the animal is able to successfully defend itself with powerful blows with its hind legs, as well as move quickly using a long tail as a rudder.

The kangaroo is distinguished by a rather poorly developed upper body, and also has a small head. The muzzle of the animal can be quite long or shortened. Also, the structural features include narrow shoulders, front short and weak paws, which are completely devoid of hair, and also have five fingers with very sharp and relatively long claws. The fingers are characterized by good mobility, therefore they are used by animals for grasping objects and combing wool, as well as in the process of feeding.

The lower body of the kangaroo is very well developed and is represented by fairly powerful hind legs, a long thick tail, strong hips and muscular legs with four fingers. The connection of the second and third fingers is carried out by a special membrane, and the fourth finger is equipped with a strong claw.

Lifestyle and behavior

The marsupial animal prefers a nocturnal lifestyle, therefore, with the onset of twilight, it moves to the pasture. During the daytime, the kangaroo rests in the shade under the trees, in special burrows or grass nests. When danger appears, marsupials transmit alarm signals to other members of the pack with the help of powerful blows of their hind legs on the ground. In order to convey information, sounds are also often used, represented by grunts, sneezes, clicking and hissing.

It is interesting! For marsupials, attachment is strictly to a certain territory, so they prefer not to leave it without special reasons. The exception is the huge red kangaroos, which quite easily cover tens of kilometers in search of more profitable feeding areas.

In areas with favorable living conditions, including a good food base and the absence of any dangers, marsupials are able to form numerous communities, consisting of almost a hundred individuals. However, as a rule, such representatives of the order of marsupial two-crested mammals live in fairly small flocks, consisting of a male, as well as several females and kangaroos. The male is very jealously guarded by the pack from the encroachments of any other adult males, resulting in incredibly violent fights.

How long do kangaroos live

The average life expectancy of a kangaroo directly depends on the species characteristics of such an animal, as well as environmental conditions in nature or captivity. The longest-lived species is the Red big kangaroo(Macrorus rufus). Such prominent representatives detachments of marsupial two-incisor mammals are able to live a quarter of a century.

The second species in terms of average life expectancy is the Eastern Gray Kangaroo (Macrorus giganteus), which lives in captivity for about two decades, and under conditions wildlife- Approximately 8-12 years old. Gray western kangaroos (Macrorus fuliginosus) have a similar lifespan.

Types of kangaroo

There are more than five dozen species belonging to the kangaroo family, but at present only species that are large and medium in size are considered to be real kangaroos.

Most known species presented:

• Large red kangaroo (Macrorus rufus)- the longest representative of marsupials in size. The maximum body length of an adult is two meters, and the tail is slightly more than one meter. The body weight of the male reaches 80-85 kg, and the female - 33-35 kg;
• Forest gray kangaroo- the heaviest representative of marsupials. Maximum weight reaches one hundred kilograms with growth in the rack - 170 cm;
• Mountain kangaroo (wallaroo)- a large animal with a squat physique with broad shoulders and short hind legs. There is no hair in the nose area, and the soles of the paws are rough, which greatly facilitates movement in mountainous areas;
• tree kangaroo- currently the only representatives of the Kangaroo family living in trees. The maximum body length of such an animal is slightly more than half a meter. A species feature is the presence of very tenacious claws on the paws and thick brownish fur, which not only facilitates climbing trees, but also camouflages the animal in the foliage.

It is interesting! Representatives of all species of kangaroos have good hearing, and by “pricking up” their ears like cats, they are able to pick up even too quiet sounds. Despite the fact that such marsupials are completely unable to move backwards, they are excellent swimmers.

Wallabies are among the smallest kangaroo species. The maximum length of an adult, as a rule, does not exceed half a meter, and minimum weight the female wallaby is only one kilogram. Appearance such animals are similar to an ordinary rat, which has a naked and long tail.

Range, habitats

The main habitat of the kangaroo is represented by the territory of Australia and Tasmania, New Guinea and the Bismarck archipelago. Marsupials were also introduced to New Zealand. Kangaroos quite often settle close to people's homes. Such marsupials can easily be found on the outskirts of not too large and densely populated cities, as well as near farms.

As observations show, a significant part of the species are terrestrial animals living in flat areas overgrown with dense herbage and shrubs. All tree kangaroos are perfectly adapted to moving through trees, and mountain wallabies (Petrogale) live directly in rocky areas.

Kangaroo diet

Kangaroos feed mainly on plant foods. Their main daily diet includes various plants, including grass, clover and alfalfa, flowering legumes, eucalyptus and acacia foliage, creepers and ferns. Marsupials also eat roots and tubers of plants, fruits and berries. For some species, eating worms or insects is habitual.

According to scientists, adult male kangaroos feed about one hour longer than females.. Nevertheless, it is the diet of females that is represented by the highest protein food, which has a positive effect on the quality characteristics of the milk produced for feeding the cub.

It is interesting! Marsupials are resourceful, therefore they are able to adapt very well to many adverse external conditions, including the absence of their usual food. In this case, animals can quite easily switch to other types of food, including plants that are not used for food even by unscrupulous and undemanding representatives of the fauna.

natural enemies

In natural natural conditions Adult kangaroos feed once a day evening hours, just after sunset, which greatly reduces the risk of suddenly meeting many natural enemies. Damage to the marsupial population is caused by wild, as well as foxes and some large predatory birds.