Kangaroo - description, habitat, lifestyle

If you think about which animals are famous for their jumping ability, then only one member of the family comes to mind. We are talking about a kangaroo, the represented individuals can jump out at a length of 10 meters or even more. And the height of 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 material, we will consider everything that affects the individuals under discussion, so that everyone can form their own opinion.

Description

1. There are many varieties of individuals discussed, the dimensional characteristics of animals directly depend on this. On average, the mass of the body, they are about 20-100 kg. with a body length of 25-150 cm. The tail has a separate role, it serves as a balancing and is 45-100 cm long. The largest members of the family live in Australia, they are red and large.Heavy kangaroos live in the east, they are called gray.
2. 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 discussed individuals 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. Forelegs shortened, poorly developed, not very muscular. There are 5 fingers on them, almost no wool, strong and long claws. Shoulders narrowed. The fingers of the animal are placed at a certain distance, they grab their food and comb their hair. In comparison with 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. Thighs dilated and muscled, on the paws is located on 4 fingers. There is a membrane between the third and second, the fourth is equipped with a strong and long claw. Due to the special structure of the torso, kangaroos can inflict serious blows on the enemy with the help of the hind limbs.
5. The tail acts as a balancer and a kind of steering.Individuals jump quickly, moving forward, but due to the hull structure they cannot move backwards. Their shape of the limbs does not allow this, in addition, the tail interferes.

Habitat

1. All people kangaroos are known as the bouncy inhabitants of Australia, partly so. However, represented individuals live in other territories, for example, in New Guinea, Tasmania and Bismarck. They also brought these family members to New Zealand.
2. Very often, animals can be found near human dwellings. Such marsupials are met on the outskirts of large cities and medium-sized settlements. They also prefer to dwell near farmers' agricultural land.
3. If we proceed from the observations, we can conclude that these animals have a terrestrial lifestyle. They live on flat areas, near the bushes and among the thickets of prickly grass. Tree-type kangaroos climb trees beautifully, while mountain animals feel good among rocks, stones and hills.

Population

1. The main species of marsupial creatures are not subject to the likelihood of extinction.However, for certain reasons, the number of goals is decreasing every year. This is due to the occurrence of forest fires, a decrease in the natural environment of the spread of kangaroos, as well as hunting and other human activities. As always, it is people who carry the main danger to sentient beings.
2. In Australia, it is forbidden to put kangaroos at risk at the legislative level. The gray inhabitants of the western and eastern parts are considered to be protected. Wild animals are constantly subjected to shelling as a result of hunting.
3. During pasture protection, farmers mutilate these animals. Poachers, however, shoot because of meat, which is considered a delicacy, as well as skins, which are later used to make leather goods. The meat is distinguished by its low calorie and taste.
4. Generally speaking, nothing threatens the represented individuals. But they have enemies in their natural habitat. Snakes, large birds, dingos, and also foxes hunt animals. In order not to meet with the enemies, these individuals prefer to eat once a day in the evening, as soon as the sun sets.

Nutrition

1. To a greater degree kangaroos prefer to eat grass, therefore they are considered herbivores. However, among the diversity of animals there are species that are distinguished by their omnivorous. The largest red individuals lean on prickly and stiff grass. Individuals with a short muzzle 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 content with herbal leaves, seeds, small fruits. If individuals live in forest parts with moderate humidity, they feed on fruits, foliage, and plants. Wood specimens eat bird eggs and the chicks themselves, gnawing bark from a tree trunk.
3. Also in the diet may include clover, alfalfa, eucalyptus leaves, acacia, cereals, other vegetation. Kangaroos consume cicadas, ferns. Smaller members of the family are more selective when it comes to food preferences. They go in search of high quality fodder, often such food is digested for a long time.
4. Large-sized animals can safely eat low-grade food, but compensate for this with a variety of vegetation. Sent to pastures in the late afternoon, but it all depends on the weather conditions in the area of ​​habitat. If it's hot outside, then the kangaroo will wait for the sun to go down, resting in the shade. Then in the late afternoon they go to look for food.
5. A distinctive feature of these animals is undemanding in terms of water consumption. Individuals may not fall on the water for several months, in some cases even longer. Liquid is obtained from plant foods, also lick dew from grass and rocks. Some clever representatives of the species tear down the bark, then content themselves with the juice flowing from the tree.
6. Living in arid areas, large-sized kangaroos adapted themselves to search for water. They start digging wells to a depth of 100 cm and more. Subsequently, these watering places are used by birds, martens, wild-type pigeons and other animals. The stomach of individuals can digest hard food, it is huge, but does not have many chambers. Some individuals of this family cause 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 correct operation and digestion of dietary fiber. Yeast bacteria are also present, which serve to create fermentation. If we talk about the nutrition of animals living in the zoo, they eat herbs, oats, nuts, seeds, breadcrumbs, vegetable and fruit fruits, etc.

Lifestyle

1. If you really want to learn 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 the same way as in wild conditions. Kangaroos are animals that lead a herd life.
2. Most often they congregate in small groups, which can number up to 25 individuals. However, mountain wallabies and rat kangaroos prefer to live alone. They never create groups. There are also small representatives of this species. They are predominantly nocturnal.
3. Large individuals, on the contrary, may be active, both during the day and in the evening.Treated animals graze in the moonlight when the heat subsides. Interestingly, the kangaroo herd has no leader. They are all equal. Such animals do not have a leader, because they are primitive because of the underdeveloped brain.
4. However, the instinct of self-preservation is rather well developed in the considered individuals. It is enough just one kangaroo to give an alarm signal, the whole group will immediately rush in different directions. The animal gives a voice that is a bit like a cough. In addition, kangaroos have excellent hearing. Therefore, they can hear the alarm signal at a sufficient distance.
5. It is worth noting that these animals are not accustomed to settle in shelters. Only rat kangaroos live in burrows. As for natural enemies, then 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, marsupial wolves. Small 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, the small representatives of the same species are practically helpless.Individuals do not belong to the brave, they, on the contrary, always try to escape from danger. If the predator still catches up with its prey, the kangaroo tries to defend very fiercely.
7. Behind how the animal defends it is quite interesting to observe. Kangaroo inflicts a series of powerful blows with its hind legs, while the individual rests on the 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 the kangaroo is saved from the enemy, he lures the predator into the water. As a result, the animal drowns the offender. Dingo dogs have suffered this way many times. Above all, kangaroos try to stay away from people. Therefore, it is impossible to see nearby the 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 frighten them. Individuals rather quickly get used to the fact that people often feed them. However, they don't pat themselves.

Breeding

1. Such animals reach sexual maturity at about 2 years. Life expectancy is on average about 18 years. In some cases, individual individuals lived even up to 30 years. In the mating season, the males are very hard fighting for the attention of the female. Often it ends with severe injuries.
2. After mating, the female most often has only 1 cub. Before the baby is born, the mother begins to lick her bag thoroughly. It is in it that the baby will continue to develop. Pregnancy lasts only about 1.5 months.
3. As a result, a completely blind, hairless baby is born. Next, the cub develops in the mother's bag for about 11 months. And the youngsters almost immediately suck on one of the nipples and do not detach from it for about 2 months. During this time, the cub continues to grow, develop and grow into fur.
4. Sometimes the baby starts to get out of the bag, but at the slightest rustle, it immediately returns. Already at the age of 8-10 months, the cub may leave the bag for a long time, sometimes the mother begins to prepare for the next mating season.

Kangaroo can be considered unique animals.The development of babies occurs in a special bag for the mother. Such a pocket protects young animals from various kinds of danger and unpredictable weather conditions. The female can prepare for the mating period only after she is sure that her cub is ready for independent living. Kangaroos are a symbol of Australia, but this does not mean that such individuals will be glad to any contact with humans.

Video: Kangaroo (Macropus)