There is a curious myth. The famous James Cook - the discoverer of Australia, the English navigator - for the first time on a ship called "Endeavor" sailed to the eastern coast of the continent, then still new to everyone, and enthusiastically discovered there a lot of previously unknown vegetation and extraordinary representatives of the fauna. Strange enough in appearance, however, the original animal that first caught his eye was a creature that moved quickly on its hind legs and deftly pushed off the ground with them.
Kangaroo - who is this? In the article, we will consider the characteristics, species, habitat and features of the animal, and also present some vivid photos.
First information about kangaroos
It is not surprising that James, the discoverer of the continent, was wondering what the name of the jumping outlandish creature was, which to many of his people seemed to be a kind of overseas monster. After a while, the navigator received an answer to the question that tormented him from a native: Gangurru. Legend has it that this is why Cook decided that this is how it is customary to call dataanimals, despite the fact that the savage told him only information about the kangaroo, which the discoverer of the continent did not understand.
Since that time, this outlandish (primarily for Europeans) representative of the world of fauna has been given the name. It is worth noting that a little later, linguists showed a dubious attitude towards the truth of the presented historical myth. However, this does not mean that the animal itself was not interesting to them, and the story about it was not true.
Where can I find an image of an animal?
The kangaroo is the mammal featured on the Australian national emblem today. It is a symbol and personification of the mainland once discovered by Cook. Kangaroo is an unusual and somewhat fantastic creature. This is a marsupial animal that belongs to the category of mammals. That is why, like all relatives from the named class, the kangaroo produces living offspring. However, the birth of cubs is carried out at unusually early dates. So, until the final formation, the animals wear them in bags.
The bag is convenient
Kangaroo is a mammal whose main feature is the presence of a bag used for specific purposes. It is a convenient skin pocket located on the belly of this creature. It is worth noting that marsupials can only be found on the Australian and American continents. At the same time, most of them live on the lands of the first. This mainland, once discovered by Cook, is famous fora significant number of endemics, in other words, specimens of fauna that are found exclusively in those parts. The representative of the animal kingdom we are studying is considered one of them.
Other marsupials
Kangaroo is not the only marsupial that can be found on the Australian continent. A striking example of another is the wombat, a furry animal that spends its entire life underground. The koala is another animal similar to the kangaroo in terms of having a skin pocket on its abdomen. It should be noted that in total in Australia today there are about 180 species of marsupials.
The way the animal moves
Kangaroo is a hopping mammal. A very remarkable part of his body are incredibly powerful and muscular hind legs with extremely developed muscles in the thighs, as well as four-toed feet. It is they who allow this outlandish animal, through blows, to give a reliable rebuff to all sorts of offenders and, of course, move at an impressive speed only on two legs. It should be noted that in this case, as a rudder, which helps to balance and correct the trajectory of movement, the studied animal uses its long tail, which is a curious fact, especially for the smallest ones.
All about kangaroos for children: body structure features
The upper body of a kangaroo seems underdeveloped when compared to the lower. The head of the animal is small; the muzzle is often shortened, and sometimes -long, it all depends on the variety of the mammal; Shoulders are narrow anyway. The kangaroo is a rodent with short, bare front legs. It is worth noting that they are quite weak. The paws of the animal are equipped with five fingers, which end in sharp, long claws. They are mobile and developed, thanks to which creatures are able to easily grab objects around them, hold food and even comb their hair with their help.
Kangaroo is a predator whose fur is thick and soft. It can be grey, black or red. However, various variations of shades are also acceptable. Interestingly, with its powerful legs, a kangaroo can kill a person. Its claws allow gutting small animals.
Kangaroo species: common features
You need to know that the animal being studied is often referred to as a member of the family called kangaroos. However, this word is often used in the meaning of the largest species of the specified family (we will analyze them later). Small kangaroos are called differently.
In fact, the size of members of mammalian species varies quite significantly. There are kangaroos, the dimensions of which do not exceed 25 cm. Their size can be 1.5 m or more. The largest are large red kangaroos. The weight record holders are members of the gray forest variety. It is interesting to know that among the named individuals, the weight of which reaches 100 kg is noted. These mammals are Australian endemics. Nevertheless, they can also be found on the islands adjacent to this mainland: in NovayaGuinea, Tasmania and so on. The main features of their appearance can be seen in the photo.
To date, 14 genera are known in the kangaroo family. Some of them are presented extremely extensively, others - less. In any case, the number of species in the total count is significant. It is advisable to describe in more detail the main ones.
Big red kangaroo
Let's start with the largest animal in terms of size. The origin of the kangaroo species is gigantic. It is worth noting that individual specimens of mammals reach an average weight of 85 kg. They have almost a meter long tail. Such representatives of the fauna are found either in the northern part of the continent - in the tropics, or along the east coast, as a rule, in the south of the mainland. Often, kangaroos inhabit the fertile areas of the named area. Moving on their hind legs, they can cover tens of kilometers in an hour. Red animals have a wide muzzle, and their ears are long and pointed.
Grey Oriental Kangaroo
This type of mammal is very numerous, and the population of its individuals includes up to 2 million. It is worth noting that members of the presented species, which in terms of size occupy the second position after the above-described counterparts, are perceived as closest to humans in terms of habitat, as they prefer to live in densely populated areas of Australia. They can be found in the east and south of the continent.
Wallaby
Wallabies are small kangaroos that form a separate group of species. They have a height of no more than 70 cm, however, this applies to very large individuals. The mass of some of them can reach only 7 kg. Nevertheless, such animals jump in a masterful way, despite their insignificant size. Champions of the human race, in some cases, could envy them. It is interesting to know that the length of the jump of a mammal of the presented type can reach 10 meters. There is a species in the steppes, in the mountains and in the swamps, both directly on mainland Australia and nearby islands.
Kangaroo rat
This variety is similar to rabbits. Interesting comparison, but true. By the way, such creatures develop quite appropriate life activity. They live in grassy thickets, seek out and arrange their homes there.
Quokkas
Quokkas are babies weighing only 4 kg. Their size does not exceed the size of a cat. Quokkas are defenseless creatures that are similar in appearance to other varieties of kangaroos, but more like mice.
Kangaroo habitat and lifestyle
Kangaroo can be made a symbol of perpetual motion. The fact is that these mammals are able to jump to a height that exceeds their own height by about two times. This is far from the limit of possibilities. In addition, animals of most species are not at all harmless. They are quite deftly fighting, especially when it comes to the largest of them. It is curious that, striking with the help of the hind legs, in order to avoidfalling they rely on their own tail.
As it turned out, there are many types of kangaroos. Each of them inhabits certain corners of the Green Continent. Most of all, animals like shrouds and pastures. Kangaroos settle in flat areas, as they like to frolic in thickets of shrubs and grass. Mammals perfectly adapt to life in swamps, as well as in the mountains among the many-sided stones, hills and rocks.
In Australia, you can often find kangaroos near settlements. Not surprisingly, their presence in the lands of farms or on the outskirts of urban settlements. Most mammals are by nature adapted for movement on the ground, however, there are exceptions. We are talking about tree kangaroos that live in the forests of the tropics. Such animals spend most of their lives in trees.
Number of kangaroos
The population of these mammals is numerous, and there have been no noticeable reductions in recent years. Nevertheless, despite the favorable statistics, a sufficient number of individuals die every year. The main culprit is forest fires. A rather serious reason for the decrease in the number of animals is human activity. Naturally, we are talking primarily about hunting for the most interesting representatives of the fauna. Although killing and harming these mammals is prohibited under Australian law, such regulations are often violated, usually by farmers. This is done for your own benefit.
Conclusion
So, we have reviewed the description and interesting facts about the kangaroo. The main types of mammals, the habitat and the characteristics of their behavior were fully dismantled. Unfortunately, today lovers of delicacies and poachers actively shoot these animals for the incomparable taste of meat. The natural enemies of these representatives of the fauna are foxes, dingoes, large birds and snakes.
While talking about the life expectancy of animals, one way or another, it is necessary to clarify which of the varieties of kangaroos we are talking about. The fact is that the representatives of each of them have an individual physiological program. Among the long-lived record holders, it is worth noting the large red kangaroos, which, even in captivity, can last up to 27 years. Other species live less, especially in the wild. Their life span is about 10 years, however, it can be significantly reduced due to illness or accidents.
