Kangaroos
Marcupials are one of the earliest forms of mammals, that have evolved in Australia (but mostly disappeared everywhere else). Australia broke away from Gondwana (super-continent) approx 40 million years ago and this isolation saved marcupials. The most famous of the marcupials, is the Kangaroo.
MACROPODS
Kangaroos and wallabies are marsupials that belong to a small group of animals called 'macropods'. Most macropods have hind legs larger than their forelimbs, large hind feet and long muscular tails which they use for balance. Australia has 51 species of macropod, but few people have ever seen them all. Macropods range from the human-sized 'Big Red' Kangaroo and the Eastern Grey Kangaroo, to the smaller Wallabies, Wallaroos, Potoroos, Tree Kangaroos, Bettongs and rat-sized kangaroos. These creatures occupy (most) parts of Australia, from the hot plains of Central Australia, to the cold forests of Tasmania. It is incredibly rare for you to see a wild kangaroo in an urban area or city.
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Hopping is the most efficient way of travel for kangaroos. Sitting on their hind legs free up their front paws to pick things up, the same way we use our hands. Rock wallabies, like the Euro (around Alice Springs area) have rubbery, granulated foot-pads which give them a tyre-like grip to enable them to jump from rock to rock.
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Kangaroos are herbivourous and ground dwelling, apart from the Bennetts & Lumholtz Tree Kangaroos which you may find around Northern Queensland but spotting these creatures is not an easy task. During summer, they rest during the day and are only active at night. There are MORE kangaroos now than when Europeans first arrived. Why? Forests made way for farmlands which provided more food for kangaroos and their numbers exploded! There is an estimated population of 50 million kangaroos! The government cull up to 5 million kangaroos per year.
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The collective term for kanagaroos is a 'mob'. Large mobs of kangaroo are common... Many ears make light work when listening out for dingoes (their main predator).
'Big Red' Kangaroo
Eastern Grey Kangaroo
Bennett's Tree Kangaroo
Swamp Wallaby
reproduction
All macropods have a forward-opening pouch with four teats, instead of a placenta. Giving birth is easy on the mother as the young are only an inch in size. After birth, the young joey climbs up the abdomen to the pouch where they clamp their mouths around the teat; which then enlarges to keep them attached! They joey continues to develop for the next 6 months, until they are ready to take their first steps outside the pouch (at about 1o months old). They will still return to the pouch for safety and nourishment (milk).
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Almost immediately after giving birth, the female becomes fertile and mates with male kangaroos within the mob. After mating, the egg that has been fertilised will remain dormant until the already suckling joey leaves the pouch. The joey may continue to suckle while living outside the pouch until the burden becomes too much for the mother. When two joeys are suckling at once, one in the pouch, one out, she provides a different milk mixture for each: more fat for the older joey and higher in carbohydrates for the younger. If food is scarce, the female may keep the fertilized egg in suspension until conditions improve.
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Kangaroos have the remarkable ability to determine the sex of their young. They generally produce females when they are young, and males when they are older. Females require more support through their lives to learn the skills of mothering, whilst males are more independent. Male kangaroos devote their lives to fighting. In each mob, there is a hierarchy of male kangaroos (which constantly changes). Boxing matches occur, as kangaroos challenge for places further up the leaderboard. The top male is usually dominant for about 1 year (no more).
If you see a mob of Kangaroos, look out for the differences between the male and females.