Kangaroo - description, habitat, lifestyle

If you think about which animals are famous for their jumping ability, then only one representative of the family comes to mind. We are talking about a kangaroo, the presented individuals can jump 10 meters in length and even more. And in height, their jumps reach 2.5 meters and this is not the limit. Also, individuals can reach speeds of up to 50 kilometers per hour, overtaking prey. In this article, we will consider everything that affects the discussed individuals, so that everyone can make their own opinion.

Description

1. There are quite a few varieties of individuals discussed, the overall characteristics of animals directly depend on this. On average, by weight of the hull, they are about 20-100 kg. with a trunk length of 25-150 cm. A separate role is assigned to the tail, it serves as balancing and is 45-100 cm in length. The largest representatives of the family live in Australia, they are red and large. Heavy kangaroos live in the east, they are called gray.
2. The fur is compacted, gray, red or brown. It can also be combined. It is necessarily soft and uniform. The upper part of the body of the individuals under discussion is poorly developed, most of the load falls on the bottom. The head of a small format, in comparison with the body, seems disproportionately small. The muzzle is short or elongated.
3. The forelimbs are shortened, poorly developed, and not very muscular. There are 5 fingers on them, there is practically no wool, the nails are strong and long. Narrow shoulders. The fingers of the animal are placed at a certain distance, they grab their food and comb their hair. Compared to the top, the lower section of the hull seems gigantic. She is muscular, strong, wide.
4. The hind limbs are strong and long, as is the tail. The hips are widened and muscular, with 4 fingers per foot. Between the third and second there is a membrane, the fourth is equipped with a strong and long claw. Due to the special structure of the body, kangaroos can inflict serious blows to the enemy with the help of hind limbs.
5. The tail acts as a balancer and a kind of steering wheel. Individuals jump quickly, moving forward, but due to the structure of the hull, they cannot move backward. Their shape of the limbs does not allow this, besides, the tail interferes.

Habitat

1. All kangaroo people are known as jumping people in Australia, and this is partly true. However, the presented individuals live in other territories, for example, in New Guinea, Tasmania and Bismarck. Also brought these representatives of the family in New Zealand.
2. Very often animals can be found near human dwellings. Similar marsupials are found on the outskirts of large cities and medium-sized settlements. They also prefer to live near farmers' agricultural land.
3. If we proceed from the observations made, we can conclude that these animals are characterized by a terrestrial way of life. They live in flat areas, next to shrubs and among thickets of prickly grass. Tree-type kangaroos climb trees perfectly, while mountain animals feel good among rocks, rocks and hills.

Population

1. The main species of marsupial creatures are not subject to the probability of extinction. However, for certain reasons, the number of goals is reduced every year. This is due to the occurrence of forest fires, a decrease in the natural environment of the distribution of kangaroos, as well as hunting and other human activities. As always, it is people who carry the main danger to living things.
2. Australia does not allow the kangaroo to be endangered by law.The gray inhabitants of the western and eastern parts are considered protected. Wild individuals are constantly bombarded as a result of hunting.
3. During pasture conservation, farmers maim these animals. Poachers are shot because of meat, which is considered a delicacy, as well as hides, which are subsequently used for the manufacture of leather products. The meat is distinguished by its low calorie content and taste.
4. Generally speaking, nothing threatens the individuals presented. But they have enemies in their natural habitat. Animals are hunted by snakes, large birds, dingoes, as well as foxes. In order not to meet with enemies, these individuals prefer to eat once a day in the evening, as soon as the sun sets.

Nutrition

1. To a greater extent, kangaroos prefer to eat grass, therefore they are considered herbivores. However, among the entire variety of animals, there are species that are distinguished by their omnivorous nature. The largest redheads lean on the prickly and stiff grass. Individuals with a short snout feed on roots, tubers, bulbs and other underground parts of plants.
2. Certain species of animals eat mushrooms and are directly involved in sowing their spore powder. Wallabies small are content with grassy leaves, seeds, small fruits. If individuals live in forest parts with moderate humidity, they feed on fruits, foliage, and plants. Woody individuals eat bird eggs and chicks themselves, gnaw bark from a tree trunk.
3. Also, the diet may include clover, alfalfa, eucalyptus leaves, acacia, cereals, other vegetation. Kangaroos consume cicadas, fern. Small family members are more selective when it comes to food preferences. They go in search of a high-quality feed base, often such food is digested for a long time.
4. Large-format animals can easily eat low-grade food, but compensate for this with a variety of vegetation. Go to pasture in the late afternoon, but it all depends on the weather conditions in the habitat. If it’s hot outside, then the kangaroo will wait for the sun to set, resting in the shade. Then, towards evening, they set off to seek food.
5. A distinctive characteristic of these animals is their low water consumption requirements. Individuals may not run on water for several months, in some cases even longer. The liquid is obtained with plant foods, dew is also licked from grass and rocks. Some clever representatives of the species pluck the bark, then are content with juice flowing from the tree.
6. Living in an arid area, large-format kangaroos adapted themselves to search for water. They begin to dig wells to a depth of 100 cm and more. Subsequently, birds, martens, wild-type pigeons and other animals use these watering places. The stomach of individuals can digest hard foods, it is huge, but does not have many chambers. Some individuals in this family induce vomiting to get rid of food debris in the stomach. Then they chew it again for better absorption.
7. More than 40 species of bacteria live in the digestive system. They are responsible for the proper functioning and digestion of dietary fiber. Yeast bacteria are also present that serve to create fermentation. If we talk about the nutrition of animals living in the zoo, they eat herbs, oats, nuts, seeds, breadcrumbs, fruits and vegetables, etc.

Lifestyle

1. If you really want to know more about the animals in question, it is best to go to Australia and visit the national park. In such a place, individuals behave in exactly the same way as in the wild. Kangaroos belong to animals that lead a herd lifestyle.
2. Most often they gather in small groups, which can have up to 25 individuals. However, mountain wallabies and rat kangaroos prefer to lead a solitary lifestyle. They never create groups. There are also small representatives of this species. They are mostly nocturnal.
3. Large individuals, on the contrary, can be active both in the afternoon and in the evening. The animals in question graze in the moonlight when the heat subsides. Interestingly, the herd of kangaroos has no leader. They are all equal to each other. Such animals do not have a leader, because they are primitive because of the underdeveloped brain.
4. However, the instinct of self-preservation is quite well developed in the individuals under consideration. It is enough just to give one alarm kangaroo, the whole group will immediately rush in different directions. The animal gives a voice that is somewhat reminiscent of a cough. In addition, kangaroos have excellent hearing. Therefore, they can hear the alarm at a sufficient distance.
5. It is worth noting that these animals are not used to settle in shelters. Only rat kangaroos live in burrows. As for natural enemies, such individuals have a lot of them. Initially, in Australia there were no European predators, later they were brought by people. Therefore, kangaroos were constantly hunted by dingo dogs, marsupials. Little kangaroos were attacked by martens, birds of prey and even snakes.
6. As for large individuals, such kangaroos may well stand up for themselves. However, small representatives of the same species are almost helpless. Individuals do not belong to daredevils, on the contrary, they always try to escape from danger. If the predator nevertheless catches up with its prey, the kangaroo tries to defend very fiercely.
7. It is quite interesting to watch how the animal defends. The kangaroo inflicts a series of powerful blows with its hind legs, while the individual rests on its tail. Also, the kangaroo tries to grab the offender with its front paws. Many people know that hitting an adult can easily kill a dog. A person can easily find himself in a hospital with broken bones.
8. Locals claim that when a kangaroo escapes from the enemy, it lures a predator into the water. As a result, the animal drowns the offender. More than once, dingo dogs suffered in this way. In addition, the kangaroos try to stay away from people. Therefore, you cannot see nearby settlements of these animals.
9. However, such individuals are often found near farms and on the outskirts of small towns. Kangaroos are not pets, but the presence of people does not scare them. Individuals quickly get used to the fact that people often feed them. However, they do not allow themselves to be stroked.

Breeding

1. Such animals reach puberty at about 2 years. Life expectancy is on average about 18 years. In some cases, individuals survived even up to 30 years. In the mating season, males fight very hard for the female’s attention. Often this results in severe injuries.
2. After mating, the female most often appears only 1 cub. Before the baby is born, the mother carefully licks her bag. It is in her that the baby will continue to develop in the future. Pregnancy lasts only about 1.5 months.
3. As a result, a completely blind baby without wool is born. Then the cub develops in the mother’s bag for about 11 months. And young growth almost immediately sticks to one of the nipples and does not detach from it for about 2 months. During this time, the cub continues to grow, develop and grow in hair.
4. Sometimes the baby already begins to crawl out of the bag, but at the slightest rustle he immediately returns. Already at the age of 8-10 months, the cub can leave the bag for a long time, sometimes the mother begins to prepare already for the next mating season.

Kangaroos can be considered unique animals. The development of babies takes place in a special bag at the mother.Such a pocket protects young animals from various kinds of dangers and unpredictable weather conditions. A female can prepare for the mating season only after she is sure that her cub is ready for an independent life. Kangaroos are a symbol of Australia, but this does not mean that such individuals will be glad to any contact with a person.

Video: Kangaroo (Macropus)