What does a kangaroo look like? The kangaroo is an amazing marsupial mammal. Description of kangaroo, photo, video. Reproduction and lifespan

Most Famous marsupial of Australia– of course, a kangaroo. This animal is the official symbol of the Green Continent. Its image is everywhere: on the national flag, coins, commercial products... In their homeland, kangaroos can be found near populated areas, on farmland 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 height reaches up to 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
Potoroo

Kangaroos live throughout Australia, New Guinea and the islands.

In addition to Australia, potoroo (10 species) are also found in Tasmania. They inhabit rain forests, wet hard-leaved forests and bush thickets.

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

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 genus Macropus (gray kangaroo, common wallaroo, agile wallaby, etc.) are found from deserts to the edges of moist eucalyptus forests of Australia.

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

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

What does a kangaroo look like? Description of the animal

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

The forelimbs 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. Animals can grab food particles with their front paws and manipulate them. In addition, they use them to open the bag and also comb the fur. Large species also use their forelimbs for thermoregulation: they lick them inner side, while saliva, evaporating, cools the blood in the network of superficial vessels of the skin.

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 diffuse light or dark stripes on the lower back, around the upper thighs, in the shoulder area, 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 colored than females. For example, male red kangaroos are sandy-red in color, while females are blue-gray or sandy-gray.

The body length of these marsupials is from 28 cm (for the musk kangaroo) to 180 cm (for the 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 most large mammals that move by jumping on their hind legs. They can jump very far and quickly. The usual jump length is 2-3 meters in height and 9-10 meters in length! They can reach speeds of up to 65 km/h.

However, jumping is not the only way their movements. They can also walk on all fours, with their legs moving together and not alternately. In medium and large kangaroos, when the hind limbs are raised and carried forward, the animal relies on its tail and forelimbs. U large species the tail is long and thick, it serves as a support when the animal sits.

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 species live in open areas. They used to be attacked by land and air predators such as dingoes, wedge-tailed eagle and marsupial wolf (which is now extinct). Living in a group gives marsupials undeniable advantages. For example, dingoes are unlikely to approach a large herd, and kangaroos may spend more time feeding. The size of groups depends on population density, habitat type and other factors.

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

As a rule, kangaroos do not have homes, with the exception of musk kangaroo rats. Some species, such as brushtails, make shelters in burrows that they dig themselves. Rock kangaroos take refuge during the day in crevices or piles of stones, forming colonies.

Kangaroos are usually most active during 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's diet is plant food, including grass, leaves, fruits, seeds, bulbs, mushrooms and rhizomes. Some small species, particularly potoroos, often supplement their plant diet with invertebrates and beetle larvae.

Short-faced kangaroos prefer underground parts of plants - roots, rhizomes, tubers and bulbs. This 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, many types of plants are eaten: marsupials eat various parts of them depending on the season.

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

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

Continuation of the family. Life of a baby kangaroo in a bag

In some species of kangaroo mating season confined to a specific season, others can reproduce 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 reproductively active until 8-12 years. Some rat kangaroos are ready to breed as early as 10-11 months of age. Males reach sexual maturity a little later than females, but in large species, older individuals do not allow them to participate in reproduction.

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

The bag provides the newborn desired temperature and moisture, protects, allows free movement. During the first 12 weeks, the baby kangaroo grows rapidly and acquires characteristic features.

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

The grown kangaroo continues to follow its mother and can stick its head into the pouch to enjoy milk.

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

All species give birth to only one baby, with the exception of the musk kangaroo, which often produces twins and even triplets.

Conservation in nature

Australian farmers kill about 3 million large kangaroos and wallaroos every year because they are considered pests of pastures and crops. Shooting is licensed and regulated.

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

In contact with

There is an interesting myth. When the English navigator, discoverer, famous James Cook, for the first time on the ship Endeavor, sailed to the eastern shore of the continent, then new to everyone, and was surprised to discover there many types of previously unknown plants and unusual representatives of the fauna, one of the strange-looking, original animals, the first one that caught his eye was a creature that moved quickly on its hind legs, deftly pushing off the ground with them.

It is not surprising that the discoverer of the continent was interested in the name of the strange jumping creature, which some of his people even thought was an overseas monster, and he received an answer from the native: “Gangurru.” That is why, as the legend says, Cook decided that it was customary to call these animals this way, although the savage only told him that he did not understand him.

Since then, the name has been assigned to this representative of the fauna, strange to Europeans: Kangaroo. And although later linguists doubted the truth of what was described historical myth, this does not mean at all that the animal itself is not interesting, and the story about it is not the pure truth. But now the image of this creature adorns the national emblem of Australia, being the personification and symbol of the continent once discovered by Cook.

The kangaroo is an unusual and even in some sense fantastic creature. This is a marsupial, classified as a mammal, and therefore, like all relatives from this class, gives birth to living offspring. It only gives birth to cubs at an unusually early stage and carries them until their final formation in the pouch - a convenient skin pocket located on the belly of these creatures. Marsupials are found only on the American and Australian continents, and the lands of the latter are home to the most of them.

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. Among other marsupials in this part of the world, we can highlight the wombat as an example - a furry animal that spends its life underground. Koala is another one animal, kangaroo-like in the sense of having a pocket of skin on the abdomen. There are approximately 180 species of marsupials in Australia.

Kangaroos move by jumping

A notable part of the kangaroo's body is their incredibly muscular, powerful hind legs with developed muscles on the hips and four-toed feet. They allow this strange beast to reliably repel its offenders with their blows, and also to move with impressive speed on only two legs, while using its a long tail.

It is also curious that, unlike the lower part of the body, which is perfectly developed, the upper part seems underdeveloped. The kangaroo's head is small; the muzzle can be shortened, but also long, depending on the variety; shoulders are narrow. Short front legs that are not covered with hair are weak. They are equipped with five fingers ending in rather long, sharp claws.

These fingers of these animals are very developed and mobile; with them 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, and can be red, gray or black in color in various shades. With its legs, a kangaroo can finish off a person, and its claws allow it to gut not very large animals.

Kinds

The name “kangaroo” is sometimes taken to refer to all representatives of the family bearing the name: kangaroos. But more often this word is used to refer to the largest species of this family (they will be described below), and small kangaroos are usually called differently. In fact, the size of the members different types varies quite significantly.

Kangaroos can measure no more than 25 cm, and can also measure up to one and a half meters or more. The largest red kangaroos are considered the largest, and the record holders for weight are members of the forest gray variety (among those mentioned, individuals weighing 100 kg are noted). These animals are Australian endemics, but they are also found on islands close to the specified mainland: in Tasmania, New Guinea and others. All features of their appearance are clearly visible in the photo there is a kangaroo.

In total, fourteen genera are known in the kangaroo family. Some of them are more widely represented, others less so, but the number of kangaroo species in the overall count is enormous. Let us describe some of them in more detail.

1. Red big kangaroo. This species belongs to the type of gigantic kangaroo; individual specimens weigh on average 85 kg, as well as an almost meter-long 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. The 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 numbers up to two million. Members of this species, which are second in size after their counterparts described above, are closest to humans in habitat, since they prefer to inhabit densely populated areas of Australia. They are found in the south and east of the continent.

Eastern gray kangaroo

3. Wallaby- small kangaroos that form a group of species. They are no more than 70 cm tall, but they are especially large, while the weight of some may not exceed 7 kg. However, despite their size, these animals jump expertly. The champions of the human race would envy them. Kangaroo jump length of this type can be 10 meters. They are found in the steppes, swamps and mountains of both mainland Australia and nearby islands.

Female wallaby with baby in pouch

4. Kangaroo rat more similar not even to the two animals mentioned in the title, but to rabbits. By the way, such creatures lead a completely appropriate life, living in grassy thickets, looking for and arranging homes there.

Kangaroo rat

5. Quokkas- babies from this family weighing about 4 kg and the size of a cat, defenseless creatures with external resemblance with other kangaroos, but also with mice.

Quokkas

Lifestyle and habitat

These creatures could well serve as a symbol of perpetual motion. They are able to jump to a height that is twice their own height, and this is not the limit. In addition, most species of kangaroos are not at all harmless and fight deftly, especially the largest of them. It is curious that when striking with their hind legs, in order not to fall, they have the habit of leaning on their tail.

There are many species of such animals, and each of them inhabits its own corners of the Green Continent, but most of all they prefer pastures and shrouds, settling in flat areas, frolicking in thickets of grass and bushes. Some species also adapt well 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 to move on land, but there are exceptions to this rule. These are tree kangaroos that live in tropical forests and most spend their existence in those places on the trees.

The population of these animals is large, and there are no noticeable declines in it. However, enough individuals still die every year. Blame it on wildfires. A good reason for the decrease in the number of kangaroos is also human activity, and of course hunting for these representatives of the animal kingdom.

Although killing or 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. Natural enemies of these animals include foxes, dingoes, large and.

Nutrition

Kangaroos eat only once a day. This happens just after sunset. It is safer for them to act this way. This is especially advisable, since by this time in tropical regions the heat is waning.

In terms of nutrition kangaroo – animal harmless and prefers a menu of plant-based treats. Larger species feed on tough, thorny grass. Those of them that naturally have a short muzzle usually prefer to include bulbs, tubers and roots of a wide variety of flora in their diet. Some kangaroos love mushrooms. Small species of wallabies feed on fruits, seeds and grass leaves.

Kangaroo eats leaves

Such food does not differ in calorie content. However, this disadvantage Kangaroos tend to compensate with a variety of grasses 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, receiving enough moisture for their bodies from dew and plant juices. However, during dry periods the urgent need for water still begins to take its toll. In such unfavorable times, large kangaroos save themselves by digging wells. They can be quite deep; it happens that they go underground to a depth of 100 meters or more.

Reproduction and lifespan

Mating games of kangaroos take place during the rainy season. During the dry period, they are physically unable to reproduce, since males do not have the ability to produce seminal fluid. A feature of the gestation process is early birth cubs, after a month after conception, and carry them to term bag. Kangaroo in this sense, it is similar to many representatives of the animal world of Australia.

After birth, the little baby, whose size is only about 2 cm, nevertheless turns out to be so viable that on its own it climbs into the skin pocket, equipped with strong muscles, of the kangaroo, where it continues to grow and develop, feasting on milk from the mother’s four nipples. There he spends up to six months.

Female kangaroo with baby

Really, kangaroo – marsupial, but this is not the only reason for 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 could be the unwanted birth of two kangaroo chicks at once.

If the first developing fetus dies due to various circumstances, the development of the reserve embryo in the body of the kangaroo mother resumes and ends with the birth of a new offspring. Another pregnancy can occur at a time when the first kangaroo still lives in the pouch and is developing well. In this case, when the second baby appears, the mother’s body begins to produce milk of two different types to successfully feed both babies of different ages.

The characteristics of the females of these living creatures also lie in their close connection with their offspring throughout life. Nature even helps the mother kangaroo regulate the process of giving birth to babies that are convenient for her by gender. At the same time, female kangaroos appear in females at a younger age, and in a later period, male kangaroos are born.

And it really makes sense. When the kangaroo reaches old age, she helps raise the kangaroo's daughters and grandchildren. When talking about the life expectancy of these creatures, you should always clarify which species of kangaroo is meant, because representatives of each of them have an individual physiological program.

The longest-living record holders are red large kangaroos, which in some cases in captivity can survive up to 27 years. Other species live shorter lives, especially in wildlife. There, their lifespan is about 10 years, not to mention the fact that it can be significantly reduced due to accidents and illnesses.

Everyone knows kangaroos very well. This word was originally used by the Queensland Aborigines to refer to one of the small species of the family - Wallabia canguru. The word is now applied broadly to all members of the family Macropodidae, from small kangaroo rats to large kangaroos.

The kangaroo family includes herbivores adapted to locomotion. The front legs are underdeveloped; on the contrary, the hind limbs and tail are very developed. Animals usually stand “standing”, leaning like a tripod on their hind legs and tail.

The smallest of the kangaroos - kangaroo rats - reach a length, including the length of the tail, of 45 cm, the largest kangaroos - almost 3 m. By size, 3 groups can be distinguished in the family: kangaroo rats(small size) wallaby(medium size) and large kangaroos. Systematically, the kangaroo family is divided into 3 subfamilies, very uneven in the number of genera and species: the most archaic subfamily musk kangaroo rats(Hypsiprymnodontipae), which currently has only one representative; subfamily real kangaroo rats(Potoroinae); all other kangaroos - medium and large in size - belong to the subfamily Macropodinae.

The subfamily of musky kangaroo rats (Hypsiprymnodontinae) includes the only species - musk kangaroo rat(Hypsiprymnodon moschatus), living in the dense bushland of North-East Queensland.

Based on some structural features, it can be considered an intermediate form between possums and kangaroos. She has a very special big toe on her hind legs: it is mobile, lacks a claw, but is not opposed to other toes, like in possums. The animal has a very strange tail, almost completely devoid of hair and covered with special skin scales, reminiscent of the tails of American opossums and partly the tail of a cuscus. However, it jumps like all real kangaroos. This strange animal was discovered in 1874 by Ramsay. The color of the kangaroo rat is bright brown, body length is about 30 cm, tail length is 15 cm.

True kangaroo rats (subfamily Potoroinae) include the smallest representatives of the family. They are descended from the archaic musk kangaroo rat, but their tails are completely hairy and their paws resemble those of other, more highly organized kangaroos. They differ from other kangaroos in their highly developed canines, elongated, grooved premolars, and in the fact that the row of molars does not increase in size posteriorly, as is usually the case, but decreases. There are 4 genera and 9 species of kangaroo rats.

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The most primitive and close to the previous subfamily are the genera Bettongia and Aepyprymnus, the genera Caloprymnus and Potorous are more highly organized. Kangaroo rats are fast and nervous animals. Males are very warlike. Usually animals make comfortable nests out of grass where they rest during the day. One of the species, Bettongia lesueur, gets along well with rabbits, often settling in the burrows they occupy.

Back at the end of the 18th century. Kangaroo rats were distributed throughout almost all of Australia, except in the far north and northeast. Now their numbers have sharply decreased: most of them have been exterminated by foxes and dogs. Two types of kangaroo rats - Gaimardova(Bettongia gaimardi) and broad-faced(Potorous platyops) - have completely disappeared, and the rest are on the verge of complete destruction.

The subfamily of true kangaroos (Macropodinae) includes animals of medium and large size - wallabies, kangaroos and wallaroos. It, in turn, can be divided into a number of groups, similar in structure and way of life.

The wallaby-hares group (Lagostrophus and Lagorchestes families) includes 5 species of animals. They differ from kangaroo rats in having smaller fangs and larger ears. They received their name for their behavior and method of movement more than for their external resemblance to hares. Wallaby hares live alone. They are infertile and have only one young, which they carefully guard. These are shy animals that usually live in thickets of thorny bushes. About 200 years ago they were widespread. Now their numbers have been greatly reduced, and they, too, are in danger of being completely destroyed. Striped wallaby hare(Lagostrophus fasciatus), discovered by V. Dampierro in 1699, has a back streaked with transverse dark stripes.

The remaining wallaby hares belong to the genus Lagorchestes and have a uniform color.

Tree kangaroos(genus Dendrolagus) live in North-East Queensland and New Guinea. These are the only members of the family that live in trees. It would be more correct to call them tree wallabies, since they are close to ordinary wallabies.

Two species of tree kangaroos are common in Australia, and about a dozen species are common in New Guinea. These are animals reaching a length of about 60 cm, with brownish fur, and are hardly noticeable in the foliage of trees. They jump on the ground like ordinary kangaroos. At the same time, their shorter hind legs and claws allow them to climb trees well. They can jump from heights of 10, 15 and even 18 m. During the day they sleep in trees, and in the evening they go down to drink and feed. They are predominantly herbivorous, although sometimes they do not refuse animal food. They eat leaves and vines; their favorite food is ferns, berries and fruits.

Movable like monkeys rock or stone wallabies(genus Petrogale and Peradorcas) live among the high rocky mountains. They move over the rocks at such speed that it is almost impossible to catch up with them. Both the aborigines and even dingoes hunt them extremely rarely. Only foxes destroy them in large numbers. Rock wallabies are herbivores, so they come down from the mountains to valleys and meadows to feed. They are active mainly at night. If necessary, they can go without water for a long time. Most known species this group - brush-tailed rock wallaby(Petrogale penicillata), an animal with a pubescent tail. It is well known to tourists who visit the famous Jenolan Caves in New South Wales. In a small reserve that was created especially for them near the entrance to one of the caves, semi-tamed rock wallabies have changed their habits: they often show up during the day and do not avoid human society.

Claw-tailed wallabies(genus Onychogalea) have a keratinized formation at the tip of the tail, resembling a claw or spur. Its purpose is not entirely clear. This group includes 3 species.

Bush wallabies, or pademelons(genus Thylogale and Setonix). Strange name"pademelon", most commonly used in Australia, is a corruption of the native word "pad-dimalla", which refers to small wallabies with particularly delicious meat. The first marsupials discovered by the Dutch in the 17th century belonged to this group of marsupials. Bush wallabies live in thickets of bushes or dense undergrowth. Like all kangaroos, they only give birth to one young. Behind Lately their number dropped sharply. Ladies, or tamnars(Thylogale eugenii), found only in a few nature reserves. These are herd animals that, in case of danger, warn their fellows by striking the ground with their hind legs.

quokka(Setonix brachyurus), which has become rare on the Australian mainland, remains numerous on Rottnest Island, where it was once discovered by the Dutchman Wolkersen. In this reserve, with an area of ​​9 square meters. miles, the quokka is protected and inaccessible to foxes that exterminate it in other places; The animals here have multiplied so much that they no longer have enough pasture. To eliminate the overpopulation of quokkas, they are sent to zoological gardens, since those that were tried to be released back to the continent were immediately destroyed by foxes, snakes and feral cats. In quokka breeding there is interesting feature. After mating, she gives birth to one cub; however, if the baby dies, then another, previously “dormant” embryo develops, and a second young quokka will be born the following month, without another mating.

Pademelon(Thylogale thetis), the meat of which the early colonists of Sydney ate, was once numerous; now it is extremely rare.

Typical wallabies, or average kangaroos(genus Wallabia), - larger animals that do not live in dense thickets scrub, and in brighter areas

savannah type. There are 8 types in total. They differ from large kangaroos only in their smaller size. Common inhabitants of zoological gardens, familiar to many readers, are wallabies.

Wallabies live in small herds and feed on grass. The kangaroo, once discovered by Cook in Queensland, also belonged to this genus (Wallabia canguru). Another species, Wallabia elegans, lives in southern Queensland and New South Wales. Unfortunately, it is mercilessly exterminated for the sake of its skin and sport hunting.

Large kangaroos(genera Macropus and Megaleia) are the rulers of the Australian savannah. These mighty athletes are one of the official symbols of Australia: their image was chosen along with the image of the emu for the coat of arms of the Australian Federation.

Males of large kangaroos are larger than females; the length of their body, including the length of the tail, can reach almost 3 m, their weight exceeds 80 kg. The front legs are weaker than the hind legs, but are still developed enough for the animals to be able to stand on all fours while grazing or when defending themselves from enemies. Kangaroos are not aggressive, but if forced to defend themselves, they can be dangerous. Their main weapons are their hind limbs, long and narrow, with strong claws and steel muscles. The long and thick tail has a special structure: its lower part, which serves as a fulcrum, has flattened vertebral processes and highly developed adipose tissue. For native hunters, the kangaroo's tail is the most delicious piece; the rest of the meat is tough.

The kangaroo biotope is a sparse forest, savanna or wild bush. They are found both on the plain and in the mountains. While grazing, kangaroos move forward in small jumps, about 1.5 m each. When they need to escape, kangaroos make fantastic leaps. This is one of the most spectacular sights that can be found in nature. Lacking the airy ease, the kangaroo's leap has incredible, confident power. The push is made with the hind legs, and the tail, supported horizontally, serves as a counterweight.

With successive jumps from 6 to 9 m (and under exceptional circumstances - up to 12 m), the kangaroo reaches a speed of 40 km/h, and at some moments - up to 50 km/h. At such speeds, it was difficult for hunters to pursue kangaroos, until they finally invented hunting from cars and all-terrain vehicles. True, kangaroos cannot run at high speed for long and soon fall from exhaustion.

Large kangaroos do not have a strictly limited breeding season; Mostly young are born in winter. In the largest species - the large gray kangaroo - pregnancy lasts 38-40 days, the length of the newborn is about 25 mm. This is the smallest newborn of all known mammals (relative to the size of an adult animal). Usually one baby is born, but, as an exception, twins (in the great gray kangaroo) and even triplets (in the great red kangaroo) are found. The lifespan of a kangaroo exceeds 10 and probably reaches 15 years.

The most terrible of the kangaroo's natural enemies, the so-called sand flies, are small insects that appear en masse after rain and accumulate near water bodies. These insects attack kangaroos going to watering holes, get into their eyes and sting, so that kangaroos often go blind after their attack. Young kangaroos often become prey for dingoes, foxes and birds of prey. But the most terrible enemy of the kangaroo is the person who hunts them for their skin, meat, or to protect their fields and pastures. The natives used dingoes to hunt kangaroos, and the white colonists used packs of dogs.

These powerful animals have a calm nature, but in difficult situations they can defend themselves decisively, delivering powerful kicks. Boxer kangaroos are often talked about. One of the best kicks of a kangaroo boxer is to lean on the tail and simultaneously deliver a powerful blow to the opponent with both hind legs. With its claws, a kangaroo can easily rip open the belly of a dog or even a person. Pursued by dogs, a kangaroo can escape in the water. There are known cases when kangaroos grabbed dogs in the water, floating, and tried to drown them. A kangaroo can also use another method of self-defense: rushing at the enemy, grabbing it with its front paws and pressing it to itself, trying to strangle it. About 10 years ago, a young Australian doctor, driving a car at night, accidentally crushed big kangaroo; so that the animal would not suffer, he wanted to give it an injection, but the wounded animal suddenly stood up, pressed him to itself, and with great difficulty the doctor escaped alive from his clutches. Thus, the peace-loving kangaroo knows how to defend itself. Many hunters are wounded by it, sometimes fatally. However, these large animals are easy to tame, especially the large gray kangaroo.

There are 12 known species of large kangaroos. They belong to three genera: Macropus - with a completely pubescent snout; Megaieia, which has a small bare space between the nostrils, and Osphranter, whose nose is widely exposed, like a dog's nose.

Great gray or forest kangaroo(Macropus major), is the largest of the existing marsupials. The Great Grey, as the Australians call it, is found throughout eastern Australia.

It lives in various wooded areas; hence its second name - forest kangaroo. Its usual biotope is eucalyptus savanna. It feeds on grass, leaves, and young roots. In the 19th century this animal was common everywhere. He was even accused of interfering with sheep grazing by occupying the best pastures. Under this pretext, its extermination began in 1871. It is also destroyed for its skin and, more recently, meat. As a result, this species of kangaroo, although still considered quite common, is in complete decline. The decline in its numbers is currently due to many reasons. He is not very fertile. Its food supply has been undermined: it is adapted to feeding on good meadows and cannot exist normally in more arid and barren areas. Therefore, with the agricultural development of the territory, the area suitable for its habitat is increasingly reduced. Finally, its character, more peaceful and trusting than that of the red kangaroo or wallaroo, more often makes it the prey of hunters.

Big red kangaroo(Megaleia rufa), almost equal in size to the gray, is a magnificent animal, just as strong, but more graceful and proportional.

The great red kangaroo is found more widely throughout Australia than any other species of kangaroo. It is especially abundant on the vast inland plains, where it lives in small herds of 10-12 animals each. In some places it is numerous and harms livestock breeding; It was against him that the decree on a special open hunting season was directed. Car hunts are organized mainly for its extermination. Reckless, immoderate hunting can quickly destroy this magnificent animal, despite its apparent abundance.

In captivity, the red kangaroo becomes quite friendly. According to E. Trafton, its “familiarity” can become intrusive and even downright dangerous, although the males of this species have a more pleasant character than the old wallaroos. In terms of boxing, it is the red kangaroo that holds the championship.

Wallaroos, or mountain kangaroos(genus Osphranter), are easily distinguished from other large kangaroos by their shorter and squat hind legs, powerful shoulders, more massive build and hairless nasal area. They are somewhat smaller than other large kangaroos; the weight of some of them reaches 77 kg. Wallaroos were not known to science until 1832. The word "wallaroo" is a modification of the word "wolaru" - the name under which the Aborigines of New South Wales unite large kangaroos in general.

Wallaroo live in inaccessible, rocky areas of the mountains. They are similar to rock wallabies not only in their biotope, but also in some structural features.

Rough, tenacious soles of their paws enable them to avoid slipping even on smooth stones. Wallaroos feed on grass, leaves, and roots. They can go for a long time without water. To quench their thirst, they often strip the bark from young trees and lick the juice.

Wallaroos are not herd animals. Old, lonely males are pugnacious; if attacked, they bite and scratch, causing dangerous wounds. They kill dogs who are completely unable to pursue them among the rocks. The low availability of the biotope has saved them from destruction, although they are quite rare. Wallaroos are cunning, persistent, and difficult to catch; in captivity they are stubborn and difficult to tame.

The number of existing wallaroo species is not yet fully determined. E. Trafton notes 6 species of these animals. The most famous is the common wallaroo (Ospranter robustus), with a coarse coat of brownish-black color, living in the coastal mountains of Southern Queensland and New South Wales.

Animal life: in 6 volumes. - M.: Enlightenment. Edited by professors N.A. Gladkov, A.V. Mikheev. 1970 .

1. Kangaroos are the most famous marsupial animals, 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. Externally, kangaroos do not resemble any other animal: their head resembles that of a deer, the neck is of medium length, the body is slender in the front and widens in the back, the limbs are of different sizes - the front ones are relatively small, and the back ones are very long and powerful, the tail is thick and long. The front paws are five-fingered, have well-developed toes, and look more like a primate hand than a dog's paw. Nevertheless, the fingers end in rather large claws.

5. The hind legs have only four toes (the thumb is reduced), with the second and third toes fused. The kangaroo's body is covered with short, thick hair, which protects the animals well from heat and cold. The color of most species is protective - gray, red, brown, some species may have white stripes. The sizes of kangaroos vary widely: the largest red kangaroos reach a height of 1.5 m and weigh up to 85-90 kg, and the smallest species are only 30 cm long and weigh 1-1.5 kg! All types of kangaroos are conventionally divided into three groups by size: the three largest species are called gigantic kangaroos, the medium-sized kangaroos are called wallabies, and the smallest species are called rat kangaroos or kangaroo rats.

7. The kangaroo's habitat 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, living throughout the continent, and endemics, found only in a limited area (for example, in New Guinea). The habitat of these animals is very diverse: most species inhabit open forests, grassy and desert plains, but there are also those that live... in the mountains!

8. It turns out that a kangaroo among the rocks is a completely normal phenomenon; for example, mountain wallabies can rise to the level of the snow.

9. But the most unusual are... tree kangaroos, which live in dense forests. They spend most of their lives on tree branches and very deftly climb in the crowns, and at times jump over trunks in short jumps. Considering that their tail and hind legs are not at all tenacious, then such balancing is amazing.

10. All types of kangaroos move on their hind legs; while grazing, they hold their body horizontally and can rest their front paws on the ground, while alternately pushing off with their hind and forelimbs. In all other cases, kangaroos hold their bodies in an upright position. Interestingly, kangaroos are not able to move their paws sequentially, as other two-legged animals (birds, primates) do and push off the ground with both paws at the same time. 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 method of movement! On the one hand, kangaroos have phenomenal jumping ability and are able to make jumps several times greater than their body length, on the other hand, they spend a lot of energy on such movement, so they are not very durable. Large species of kangaroo can maintain a good pace for no more than 10 minutes. However, this time is enough to hide from enemies, because the length of the jump of the largest red kangaroo can reach 9 and even 12 m, and the speed is 50 km/h! Red kangaroos can jump up to 2 m in height.

11. Other species have more modest achievements, but in any case, kangaroos are the fastest animals in their habitat. The secret of such jumping ability lies not so much in the powerful muscles of the paws, but in... the tail. The tail serves as a very effective balancer during jumping and as a fulcrum when sitting; leaning on the kangaroo's tail relieves the muscles of the hind limbs.

12. Kangaroos are herd animals and live 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 dark time days. There is no clear hierarchy in the kangaroo herd and in general their social connections 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 monitoring their fellow animals - as soon as one animal gives an alarm, the rest take to their heels. The kangaroo's voice 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 homes, with the exception of rat kangaroos, which live in burrows.

13. Kangaroos eat plant foods, which can be chewed twice, regurgitating part of the digested food and chewing it again, like ruminants. The kangaroo's stomach has a complex structure and is populated with bacteria that facilitate the digestion of food. Most species feed exclusively on grass, eating it in large quantities. Tree kangaroos feed on 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, and they can also 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 female’s body is a “factory” for the production of its own kind. Excited males engage in fights, during which they lock their front paws together and hit each other hard in the stomach with their hind paws. In such a fight, the tail plays an important role, on which the males literally rely on their fifth leg.

15. Pregnancy in kangaroos is very short, so females of gray gigantic kangaroo They carry a baby 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, allowing him to independently (!) get to his mother’s bag. The female helps him by licking a path in the fur, but the embryo crawls without outside help! To appreciate the scale of this phenomenon, imagine if human children were born 1-2 months after conception and independently found their mother's breasts blindly. Having climbed into the mother's pouch, the baby kangaroo attaches itself to one of the nipples for a long time and spends the first 1-2 months in the pouch.

16. At this time, the female is already ready for mating. While the older kangaroo is growing up, the younger one is born. Thus, the female’s pouch can contain two cubs of different ages at the same time. Having matured, the cub begins to look out of the bag, and then climb out of it. True, for a long time after, a completely independent cub, at the slightest danger, climbs into the mother’s pouch. The kangaroo pouch is formed by very elastic skin, so it can stretch greatly and withstand heavy weight grown cub. Quokka kangaroos went even further, in which two embryos are conceived at once, one of which develops, and the second does not. If the first baby dies, the second one immediately begins to develop, so the quokkas do not waste time mating again. However, in large kangaroos there are also cases of twins and triplets being born. The lifespan 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), on small marsupial martens, predator birds, snakes. After the introduction of European predators to Australia and the adjacent islands, they natural enemies foxes and cats joined. If small species are defenseless against predators, then large kangaroos can fend for themselves. Usually, in case of danger, they prefer to flee, but a driven kangaroo can suddenly turn to the pursuer and “hug” him with his front paws, delivering powerful blows with his hind paws. An ordinary dog a blow from the hind leg can kill and seriously injure a person. In addition, there are cases where kangaroos escaped into ponds and drowned dogs chasing them in the water.

Predators are not the only problem with kangaroos. Enormous harm is caused to them by food competitors brought by people: rabbits, sheep, cows. They deprive kangaroos of natural food, which is why many species have been pushed into arid desert areas. Small species are not able to migrate over long distances, so they simply disappear under the pressure of aliens. In turn, people view 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 set in traps. 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. Total influence of all unfavorable factors is large, small species of kangaroos are especially vulnerable, most of them are on the verge of destruction. 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; they behave calmly around them, but do not tolerate familiarity: attempts to pet and feed animals can cause aggression. But you need to understand that such a reaction is due to the instinct of protecting the territory. In zoos, kangaroos are more affectionate to staff and are not dangerous. They take root and reproduce well in captivity and attract many visitors. Together with the emu, the kangaroo appears on the coat of arms of Australia and symbolizes eternal movement forward (since they cannot back away).

Kangaroos are the most famous marsupial animals, 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).

Externally, kangaroos do not resemble any animal: their head resembles that of a deer, the neck is of medium length, the body is slender in the front and widens in the back, the limbs are of different sizes - the front ones are relatively small, and the back ones are very long and powerful, the tail is thick and long. The front paws are five-fingered, have well-developed toes, and look more like a primate hand than a dog's paw. Nevertheless, the fingers end in rather large claws.

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

The hind feet have only four toes (the big toe is reduced), with the second and third toes fused. The kangaroo's body is covered with short, thick hair, which protects the animals well from heat and cold. The color of most species is protective - gray, red, brown, some species may have white stripes. The sizes of kangaroos vary widely: the largest red kangaroos reach a height of 1.5 m and weigh up to 85-90 kg, and the smallest species are only 30 cm long and weigh 1-1.5 kg! All types of kangaroos are conventionally divided into three groups by size: the three largest species are called gigantic kangaroos, the 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 the small rat kangaroos. Due to its tiny size, it can easily be mistaken for a rodent in appearance.

The kangaroo's habitat covers Australia and the adjacent islands - Tasmania, New Guinea, and kangaroos are also acclimatized in New Zealand. Among kangaroos, there are both species with a wide range, living throughout the continent, and endemics, found only in a limited area (for example, in New Guinea). The habitat of these animals is very diverse: most species inhabit open 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 kangaroos among the rocks are a common sight; for example, mountain wallabies can rise to the level of the snow.

A kangaroo in a snowdrift is not such a rare occurrence.

But the most unusual are tree kangaroos, which live in dense forests. They spend most of their lives on tree branches and very deftly climb in the crowns, and at times jump over trunks in short jumps. Considering that their tail and hind legs are not at all tenacious, then such balancing is amazing.

Goodfellow's tree kangaroo (Dendrolagus goodfellowi) with baby.

All types of kangaroos move on their hind legs; while grazing, they hold their body horizontally and can rest their front paws on the ground, while alternately pushing off with their hind and forelimbs. In all other cases, they hold the body in an upright position. Interestingly, kangaroos are not able to move their paws sequentially, as other two-legged animals (birds, primates) do and push off the ground with both paws at the same time. For this reason, they cannot move backwards. Actually walking is unknown to these animals; they move only by jumping, and this is a very energy-consuming method of movement! On the one hand, kangaroos have phenomenal jumping ability and are able to make jumps several times greater than their body length, on the other hand, they spend a lot of energy on such movement, so they are not very durable. Large species of kangaroo can maintain a good pace for no more than 10 minutes. However, this time is enough to hide from enemies, because the length of the jump of the largest red kangaroo can reach 9 and even 12 m, and the speed is 50 km/h! Red kangaroos can jump up to 2 m in height.

The jumps of the red kangaroo amaze with their power.

Other species have more modest achievements, but in any case, kangaroos are the fastest animals in their habitat. The secret of such jumping ability lies not so much in the powerful muscles of the paws, but in... the tail. The tail serves as a very effective balancer during jumping and as a fulcrum when sitting, leaning on the tail, these animals relieve the muscles of the hind limbs.

Kangaroos often rest lying on their sides in a sybaritic pose, comically scratching their sides.

Kangaroos are herd animals and live 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 kangaroo herd and in general their social connections 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 monitoring their brothers - as soon as one animal gives an alarm signal, the rest take to their heels. The kangaroo's voice 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 homes, 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 fancy to the rocks.

Kangaroos feed on plant foods, which they can chew twice, regurgitating part of the digested food and chewing it again, like ruminants. The kangaroo's stomach has a complex structure and is populated with bacteria that facilitate the digestion of food. Most species feed exclusively on grass, eating it in large quantities. Tree kangaroos feed on 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, and they can also 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.

Female kangaroo with baby in pouch.

Kangaroos do not have a specific breeding season, but their reproductive processes are very intense. In fact, the female’s body is a “factory” for the production of its own kind. Excited males engage in fights, during which they lock their front paws together and hit each other hard in the stomach with their hind paws. In such a fight, the tail plays an important role, on which the fighters literally rely on their fifth leg.

Male great gray kangaroos in a mating match.

Pregnancy in these animals is very short, for example, female gray giant kangaroos carry a baby 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 (!) reach the mother’s pouch. The female helps him by licking a path in the fur, but the embryo crawls without outside help! To appreciate the scale of this phenomenon, imagine if human children were born 1-2 months after conception and independently found their mother's breasts blindly. Having climbed into the mother's pouch, the baby kangaroo attaches itself to one of the nipples for a long time and spends the first 1-2 months in the pouch.