Everyone knows the kangaroo very well. Initially, this word was used by the natives of Queensland to refer to one of the smaller species of the family, Wallabia canguru. At present, this word is applied in a broad sense to all members of the Macropodidae family, from small kangaroo rats to large kangaroos.
The kangaroo family includes herbivores adapted to jumping. The front legs are underdeveloped; on the contrary, the hind limbs and tail are very strongly developed. Animals usually keep "standing", leaning, like on a tripod, on their hind legs and tail.
The smallest of the kangaroos - kangaroo rats - reach a length, including the length of the tail, 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. In a systematic sense, the kangaroo family is divided into 3 subfamilies that are very uneven in the number of genera and species: the most archaic subfamily musky 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 - musky kangaroo rat(Hypsiprymnodon moschatus), living in dense bush thickets of North East Queensland.
According to some structural features, it can be considered an intermediate form between possums and kangaroos. She has a very special thumb hind legs: it is mobile, devoid of a claw, but is not opposed to other fingers, as in possums. The animal has a very strange tail, almost completely devoid of hair and covered with special skin scales, resembling the tails of American opossums and partly the tail of couscous. However, he jumps like all real kangaroos. This strange animal was discovered in 1874 by Ramsey. The color of the kangaroo rat is bright brown, the body length is about 30 cm, the tail length is 15 cm.
True kangaroo rats (subfamily Potoroinae) are the smallest members of the family. They are descended from the archaic musky 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 strongly developed fangs, elongated, grooved premolars, and 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 burrows occupied by them.
Even at the end of the XVIII century. kangaroo rats were distributed almost throughout Australia, except for the far north and northeast. Now their numbers have declined sharply: most of them have been exterminated by foxes and dogs. Two types of kangaroo rats gaimardian(Bettongia gaimardi) and broad-faced(Potorous platyops) - completely disappeared, and the rest are on the verge of complete destruction.
The subfamily of real kangaroos (Macropodinae) includes animals of medium and large size - wallabies, kangaroos and wallaras. It, in turn, can be divided into a number of groups similar in structure and way of life.
The group of wallabies-hares (the genera Lagostrophus and Lagorchestes) includes 5 species of animals. They differ from kangaroo rats in their smaller fangs and larger ears. They got their name for their behavior and mode of movement more than for resemblance with hares. Wallaby hares live alone. They are infertile and have only one cub, which is carefully guarded. These are shy animals, usually living 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 complete annihilation. Striped Wallaby Hare(Lagostrophus fasciatus), discovered by V. Dampiero in 1699, has a back streaked with transverse dark stripes.
The rest of the wallaby hares belong to the genus Lagorchestes and are uniformly colored.
tree kangaroos(genus Dendrolagus) live in North East Queensland and New Guinea. They are the only members of the family that live in trees. It would be more correct to call them tree wallabies, as they are close to ordinary wallabies.
In Australia, two species of tree kangaroos are common, in New Guinea - about a dozen species. These are animals reaching a length of about 60 cm, with brownish fur, hardly noticeable in the foliage of trees. On the ground, they jump like ordinary kangaroos. However, their shorter hind legs and claws allow them to climb trees well. They can jump from a height of 10, 15 and even 18 m. During the day they sleep in trees, and in the evening they go down to water and feed. They are predominantly herbivorous, although sometimes they do not refuse animal food. They eat leaves and creepers; their favorite food is ferns, wild berries and fruits.
Moving like monkeys rocky, or stone, wallabies(genus Petrogale and Peradorcas) live among high rocky mountains. They move over the rocks at such a speed that it is almost impossible to catch up with them. Both natives and even dingoes hunt them extremely rarely. Exterminate them in in large numbers only foxes. Stone wallabies are herbivores, so they descend from the mountains to the valleys and meadows to feed. 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), a furry-tailed animal. It is well known to tourists who visit the famous Jenolan Caves in New South Wales. In a small reserve, which was created especially for them near the entrance to one of the caves, semi-tamed stone wallabies have changed their habits: they often appear during the day and do not avoid human company.
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.
Shrub wallabies, or padmelons(genera Thylogale and Setonix). The strange name "pademelon", most commonly used in Australia, is a corruption of the native word "pad dimalla", which is used to name small wallabies with especially tasty 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 baby. In recent years, their number has declined sharply. Ladies, or Tamnars(Thylogale eugenii), found only in a few reserves. These are herd animals that, in case of danger, warn their fellows by hitting the ground with their hind legs.
Quokka(Setonix brachyurus), which has become rare on the Australian mainland, is still abundant on Rottnest Island, where it was once discovered by the Dutchman Wolkersen. In this reserve, with an area of 9 sq. miles, the quokka is protected and inaccessible to the foxes that exterminate it in other places; the animals here have multiplied so much that they no longer have enough pastures. 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. There is an interesting feature in the reproduction of quokka. After mating, she gives birth to one cub; however, if the cub dies, then another, previously "dormant" embryo develops, and the next month a second young quokka will be born, without a new mating.
Pademelone(Thylogale thetis), on which the first colonists of Sydney ate, was once numerous; now it is extremely rare.
Typical wallabies, or medium kangaroos(genus Wallabia), - larger animals that do not live in dense thickets of scrub, but in lighter areas
savannah type. There are 8 types in total. They differ from large kangaroos only in smaller sizes. The usual inhabitants of zoological gardens, familiar to many readers, are wallabies.
Wallabies live in small herds and feed on grass. 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 the skin and sport hunting.
large kangaroos(genera Macropus and Megaleia) - 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 an 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 still sufficiently developed so that the animals can get up on all fours during grazing or when protecting themselves from enemies. Kangaroos are not aggressive, but if forced to defend themselves, they can be dangerous. Their main weapons are hind limbs, long and narrow, with strong claws and steel muscles. Long and thick tail special structure: its lower part, which serves as a fulcrum, has flattened processes of the vertebrae and highly developed adipose tissue. For native hunters, the tail of a kangaroo is the tidbit, the rest of the meat is tough.
Kangaroo biotope - sparse forest, savanna or wild bush. They are found both on the plains and in the mountains. During grazing, kangaroos move forward in small jumps, approximately 1.5 m each. When you need to save yourself, kangaroos make fantastic jumps. This is one of the most spectacular sights that can only be found in nature. Lacking aerial lightness, the kangaroo jump 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 le), the kangaroo develops a speed of 40 km / h, and at some moments - up to 50 km / h. At this speed, it was difficult for hunters to chase kangaroos, until, finally, hunting from cars and all-terrain vehicles was invented. True, kangaroos cannot run at high speed for a long time 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 - a 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 (in relation to the size of an adult animal). Usually one cub is born, but, as an exception, there are twins (in a large gray kangaroo) and even triplets (in a large red kangaroo). The lifespan of a kangaroo is over 10 and probably up to 15 years.
The scariest of natural enemies kangaroos, 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 waterholes, stuff themselves in their eyes and sting, so that kangaroos often go blind after their attack. Young kangaroos often fall prey to dingoes, foxes and birds of prey. But the worst enemy of kangaroos is a man 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 mighty animals have a calm character, but in difficult situations they can defend strongly with powerful kicks. They often talk about boxer kangaroos. One of the best blows of a boxing kangaroo is to lean on the tail and simultaneously deliver a powerful blow with both hind legs to the opponent. With its claws, a kangaroo can easily rip open the stomach of a dog and even a person. Pursued by dogs, kangaroos can escape in the water. There are cases when kangaroos grabbed dogs in the water, afloat, and tried to drown them. Kangaroo can also use another method of self-defense: rushing at the enemy, grab him with his front paws and press him to himself, trying to strangle him. About 10 years ago, a young Australian doctor driving a car at night accidentally crushed a large kangaroo; so that the animal would not suffer, he wanted to give him an injection, but the wounded animal suddenly got up, pressed him to himself, and with great difficulty the doctor escaped alive from his paws. Thus, a peaceful kangaroo knows how to defend itself. Many hunters are wounded by it, sometimes mortally. However, these large animals are easy to tame, especially the large gray kangaroo.
12 species of large kangaroos are known. They belong to three genera: Macropus - with a completely pubescent muzzle, Megaieia, which has a small bare space between the nostrils, and Osphranter, whose nose is widely bared, like a dog's nose.
Large gray, or forest, kangaroo(Macropus major), is the largest of the currently existing marsupials. The big grey, as the Australians call it, is distributed throughout Eastern Australia.
He lives in various wooded areas; hence its second name is the forest kangaroo. Its usual biotope is the eucalyptus savannah. It feeds on grass, leaves, young roots. In the 19th century this beast was common everywhere. He was even accused of interfering with the grazing of sheep, occupying the best pastures. Under this pretext, since 1871, his extermination began. It is also destroyed for the sake of the skin, and more recently for meat. As a result, this species of kangaroo, although still considered quite common, is in complete decline. The reduction in its number is currently due to many reasons. He is infertile. Its food base is undermined: it is adapted to feeding on good meadows and cannot normally exist in more arid and barren areas. Therefore, as the agricultural development of the territory, the area suitable for its habitation is shrinking. Finally, his character, more peaceful and trusting than that of the red kangaroo or wallaroo, often makes him the prey of hunters.
Big red kangaroo(Megaleia rufa), almost as large as the gray, is a magnificent animal, just as strong, but more graceful and proportionate.
The large red kangaroo is found more widely throughout Australia than any other kangaroo species. It is especially abundant on the vast interior plains, where it lives in small herds of 10-12 animals each. In places it is numerous and harms cattle breeding; it was against him that the decree on a special season of open hunting was directed. Mainly for its extermination, automobile hunting is also organized. Thoughtless, immoderate hunting can quickly destroy this magnificent animal, despite its apparent abundance.
In captivity, the red kangaroo becomes quite friendly. According to E. Trafton, his "familiarity" can become intrusive and even simply dangerous, although the males of this species have a more pleasant character than the old wallar. In relation to “boxing”, it is the red kangaroo that holds the championship.
Wallaroo, 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 nose. They are somewhat smaller than other large kangaroos; the mass of some of them reaches 77 kg. Wallaroo were not known to science until 1832. The word "wallaroo" is a modification of the word "volaroo" - the name by which the natives of New South Wales unite large kangaroos in general.
Wallaroo live in remote rocky areas of the mountains. They are similar to stone wallabies not only in their biotope, but also in some structural features.
Rough, tenacious soles of the paws give them the opportunity not to slip even on smooth stones. Wallaroo feed on grass, leaves, roots. They can go long periods without water. To quench their thirst, they often strip the bark from young trees and lick the sap.
Wallaroo are not herd animals. Old lonely males are pugnacious; if attacked, they bite and scratch, inflicting dangerous wounds. They kill the dogs, which are quite unable to follow them among the rocks. The low accessibility of the biotope has kept them from destruction, although they are quite rare. Wallar are cunning, stubborn, hard to catch; in captivity, they are stubborn and poorly tamed.
Number existing species Wallar has not yet been fully determined. E. Trafton notes 6 species of these animals. The best known is the common wallaroo (Osphranter robustus), with a rough, brownish-black coat that lives in the seaside mountains of South Queensland and New South Wales.
Animal life: in 6 volumes. - M.: Enlightenment. Edited by professors N.A. Gladkov, A.V. Mikheev. 1970 .
There are a huge number of different animals on our planet, but, perhaps, without kangaroos, life on earth would be less interesting. Kangaroo – marsupial and its genus includes more than fifty species.
Kangaroos inhabit many arid regions of the earth. There are a lot of them in New Guinea, they settled in the Bismarck Islands, they can be found in Germany and even in good old England. By the way, these animals have long adapted to life in countries where it is quite cold in winter, and snowdrifts sometimes reach the waist.
Kangaroo- unofficial symbol australia and their image, paired with the ostrich Emu, is included in the coat of arms of this continent. Probably, they were put on the coat of arms due to the fact that these representatives of the fauna can only move forward and move backwards, which is not in their rules.
In general, the backward movement of a kangaroo is impossible, because it is hindered by a thick tail of great length and massive hind legs, the shape of which is very unusual. Huge strong hind limbs enable the kangaroo to jump at distances that no other animal species on earth can take.
So, a kangaroo jumps three meters in height, and its jump reaches 12.0 m in length. And it should be noted that these animals can develop a very decent speed - 50-60 km / h, which is the permitted speed of movement of a car in the line cities. The role of a certain balance in the animal is performed by the tail, which helps to maintain balance in any situation.
animal kangaroo It has interesting structure body. Head, somewhat reminiscent of appearance deer, extremely small in size when compared with the body.
The shoulder part is narrow, the front short paws, covered with hair, are poorly developed and have five fingers, at the ends of which are sharp claws. And the fingers are very mobile. With them, a kangaroo can grab and hold everything that he decides to use for lunch, as well as make himself a “hairstyle” - the kangaroo combs the hair with long front fingers.
The body in the lower part of the animal is much better developed than the upper part of the body. The femur, hind legs, tail - all elements are massive and powerful. There are four fingers on the hind limbs, but interestingly, the second and third fingers are united by a membrane, and the fourth ends with a tenacious strong claw.
The entire body of the kangaroo is covered with thick short hair, which protects the animal from the heat and warms in the cold. The coloration is not too bright and there are only a few colors - gray sometimes with an ash tint, brown-brown and muted red.
The size range is varied. In nature, individuals of large size are found, their mass reaches a hundred kilograms with an increase of one and a half meters. But also in nature, there are species of kangaroos that are the size of a large rat, and this, for example, is characteristic of a kangaroo from the rat family, however, they are more often called kangaroo rats. Generally, kangaroo world, as animals are very diverse, there are even marsupials living on trees - tree kangaroos.
Pictured is a tree kangaroo
Regardless of the type of kangaroo, they can only move at the expense of their hind limbs. While in the pasture, when the kangaroo eats plant foods, the animal keeps its body in a position almost parallel to the ground - horizontally. And when the kangaroo does not eat, the body takes vertical position.
It should be noted that moving lower limbs consistently, as many animal species usually do, kangaroos cannot. They move by jumping, pushing off simultaneously with two hind legs at once.
It was already mentioned earlier that it is for this reason that the kangaroo cannot move backward - only forward. Jumping is a difficult and very costly activity in terms of energy consumption.
If the kangaroo takes a good pace, then he will not be able to withstand it for more than 10 minutes and will run out of steam. Although, this time will be quite enough to run away, or rather, ride away from the enemy.
Experts studying kangaroos say that the secret of the incredible jumping ability of the animal lies not only in the powerful massive hind legs, but also imagine in the tail, which, as mentioned earlier, is a kind of balancer.
And when sitting, this is an excellent support, and among other things, when kangaroos sit, leaning on their tail, they thus allow the muscles of the hind legs to relax.
To understand deeper what kind of kangaroo animal, then it is better to go to Australia or visit a zoo that has these creatures. Kangaroos are considered to be herd animals.
They mostly get together in groups, the number of which can sometimes reach up to 25 individuals. True, rat kangaroos, as well as mountain kangaroos, are relatives from the kangaroo family by nature of a loner and they do not tend to lead a group lifestyle.
Small-sized species prefer to live actively at night, but large species can be active both at night and during the day. However, kangaroos usually graze under the moonlight when the heat subsides.
No one occupies the leading positions in the herds of marsupials. There are no leaders because of the primitiveness of animals and the underdeveloped brain. Although the self-preservation instinct of a kangaroo is well developed.
As soon as one relative gives a signal of an approaching danger, the whole herd will rush in all directions. The animal gives a signal with a voice, and its cry is very reminiscent of a cough when a heavy smoker coughs. Nature has endowed marsupials with good hearing, so they recognize even a quiet signal at a decent distance.
Kangaroos do not tend to settle in shelters. Only kangaroos from the rat family live in burrows. In the wild, marsupials have a lot of enemies.
When there were no predators in Australia yet (predators of the European breed were brought to the continent by people), they were hunted by wild dingo dogs, wolves from the marsupial family, and small types of kangaroo they ate marsupials, of which there are incredibly many in Australia and from the order of carnivores.
Of course, large species Kangaroos can give a good rebuff to the beast attacking him, but small individuals cannot protect themselves and their offspring. To call a kangaroo a daredevil does not turn around, they usually run away from a pursuer.
But when a predator drives them into a corner, they defend themselves very desperately. It is interesting to observe how a kangaroo defending itself, as a retaliatory blow, inflicts a series of deafening slaps in the face with its hind limbs while “gently” hugging the enemy with its paws located in front.
It is reliably known that a blow inflicted by a kangaroo is capable of killing the first time, and a person, when meeting with an angry kangaroo, runs the risk of being in a hospital bed with fractures of varying severity.
Interesting fact: local residents say that when a kangaroo flees from persecution, they try to lure the enemy into the water and drown him there. At least the dingoes have been aware of this on numerous occasions.
Kangaroo often settles close to people. They are often found on the outskirts of small towns, near farms. The animal is not domestic, but the presence of people does not scare him.
They very quickly get used to the fact that a person feeds them, but a kangaroo cannot stand a familiar attitude towards itself, and when trying to stroke it is always alert, and sometimes it can use an attack.
Plant foods are the daily diet of kangaroos. Herbivores chew their food twice, like ruminants. First they chew, swallow, and then burp a small part and chew again. There are bacteria in the animal's stomach special kind, which greatly facilitate the digestion of hard plant foods.
Tree-dwelling kangaroos naturally feed on the leaves and fruits that grow there. Kangaroos, belonging to the genus of rats, prefer fruits, roots, bulbs of plants, however, they also like insects. You can’t call kangaroo a water drinker, because they drink very little and can for a long time do without life-giving moisture.
There is no breeding season as such for kangaroos. They can mate all year round. But nature endowed animals with the processes of reproductive action in full. The body of a female individual is, in fact, a producer of offspring, put on a wide stream, like a factory for the release of cubs.
Males now and then arrange mating fights and the one who comes out the winner does not waste time in vain. The gestation period is very short - pregnancy lasts only 40 days and one, less often two cubs, up to 2 centimeters in size, are born. This is interesting: the female can delay the appearance of the next offspring until the first brood is weaned from the breast.
The most surprising thing is that the offspring is born in fact an underdeveloped embryo, but instinct allows you to find your own way into the mother's bag. The mother helps a little to move along the first path in life, licking the wool in the direction of the baby, but he overcomes everything else.
Having reached the warm mother's bag, the baby spends the first two months of life there. The female knows how to control the bag with the help of muscle contraction and this helps her, for example, to close the marsupial compartment during rain and then the water cannot soak the little kangaroo.
Kangaroos can live in captivity for an average of fifteen years. Although there are cases when the animal lived to an advanced age - 25-30 years and, by the standards of a kangaroo, became a long-liver.
The best athletes are able to reach speeds of no more than 30-40 km / h. This record can be broken even by an ordinary hare. Do you know what maximum speed the fastest animals in the world can develop? Some carnivores and herbivores move with such lightning speed, which is comparable only to the speed of acceleration of a sports car. After all, their life or livelihood depends on it.
We present to the attention of readers the top 10 the fastest animals on the planet.
Hare speed 60 km/h
Opens the top ten fastest hare. This agile rodent accelerates up to 60 km/h during an attack by a predator. At the same time, he begins to rush from side to side in order to mislead the pursuer. An agile animal can accelerate up to 75 km / h, but for a short distance - 20 meters. Its powerful and long hind legs, as well as its light weight, which averages 3 kilograms, help the hare to develop such speed. This animal has a lot of enemies, so he has to be on the alert all the time and run a lot so as not to become someone's food.
Zebra Speed up to 64 km/h
The zebra is one of the fastest animals in the world. At the moment of attack by a predator, the mammal is capable of speeds up to 64 km/h. Zebras are very hardy. It is this factor that helps them escape from predators. Their peculiarity is that they begin to run from side to side in case of pursuit by a predator, which in the meantime loses coordination and cannot catch an intelligent animal. During a serious danger, a zebra itself can offend its pursuer by kicking it or biting it. These are rather heavy representatives of mammals weighing up to 400 kg. In search of food and water, zebras are able to cover distances of up to 800 kilometers a year.
Kangaroo Speed up to 71 km/h
The eighth fastest animal in the world is. If the mammal feels the approach of danger, then at the most crucial moment it accelerates to 71 km / h. At the same time, it begins to sweat very much, which helps to regulate the heat exchange process, and when it stops, the animal begins to breathe rapidly - up to 300 breaths per minute. A kangaroo easily covers a distance of 2 kilometers in 80 seconds, which equates to a speed of 40 km / h. In a calm state, jumpers overcome the distance with an acceleration of up to 26 km / h. It is noteworthy that representatives of the marsupial family can jump up to 3 meters in height and up to 9 meters in length.
hyena dog
Speed up to 72 km/h
The seventh fastest animal in the world is considered. During the hunt, the predator can accelerate to a maximum of 72 km / h, but only for a short distance. A longer path, for example 5 kilometers, he can easily overcome at a speed of 60 km / h. Since hyena-like dogs usually work in herds, the victim has almost no chance to hide from hungry animals. Their prey is often wildebeest and zebra, which are also among the fastest living creatures on the planet. Hyena-like dogs are very voracious and can absorb up to 15 kg of meat at a time. Their habitat is the Middle East, India and Africa.
Elk Speed up to 73 km/h
In sixth place among the fastest animals is located. During an attack from predators, an artiodactyl is capable of speeds up to 73 km / h. And this despite the weight of 700 kg and a height of 2.5 m. Mighty powerful horns weighing up to 40 kilograms have a span of up to 2 meters. Therefore, predators rarely dare to attack such a large herbivore. A feature of the deer family is that they not only run well, but also swim. Every day, moose walk up to 15 km in search of food. The habitat is Russia and America.
a lion Speed up to 80 km/h
The fifth place of honor is occupied by the majestic king of all animals -. Moreover, the fastest representatives among this species are females. Perhaps because it is they who most often have to go out to prey. A heavy animal during the hunt is capable of a maximum speed of up to 80 km / h, but only for a short distance of 20 meters. As a rule, this is enough to catch prey. These predators differ from all the most lightning-fast reaction.
Wildebeest Speed up to 90 km/h
The fourth line of the rating goes to wildebeest from Africa. Since they are the main prey of many local predators, the animal had to learn how to run as fast as possible and reach speeds of up to 90 km / h. And this is despite its heavy weight - 250 kg and a height of 1.5 m. In the absence of danger, horned runners accelerate to 40 km / h. The herbivore is dependent on the weather. During droughts, they often have to migrate in search of food over long distances.
Gazelle Speed up to 105 km/h
The third fastest animal in the world is. The maximum recorded speed of movement of an artiodactyl at a distance of 150 meters is 114 km / h. The average result in motion is 105 km / h. The gazelle is considered one of the most enduring animals, which for a long time can move at a fairly high speed. Her light weight - 30 kg and long legs help her run with such ease.
Pronghorn Speed up to 115 km/h
The second fastest animal on earth is considered to be the American antelope. The maximum speed of movement of artiodactyls is 115 km / h. The pronghorn's main enemy is the cheetah. To escape from a predator, he has to move with such speed. When the cheetah can already run out of steam, the fleet-footed animal continues to move, thanks to amazing endurance. These antelopes can accelerate not only during shelter from a predatory hunter, but also just like that, for fun. An amazing feature of these quadrupeds is that they are able to jump over an obstacle with a two-meter height or six-meter width.
Speed up to 120 km/h
It is considered the fastest animal on earth. The maximum speed that a predator is able to gain when hunting is 120 km / h. It is not surprising that with such lightning speed the hunter runs out of breath in exactly a minute. But usually this time is enough for him to overtake the victim. Moving at such speed, the bulk of the cheetah floats in the air, touching the ground only to push off. The predatory pussy manages to pick up such a run-up pace in just 3 seconds. So the animal may well compete with the fastest sports car in terms of acceleration. Such rapid movement, despite a short time interval, takes a lot of energy and strength from the leopard. In order for him to recover from a run, it will take at least half an hour. During this time, while the mammal will rest, leopards or hyenas may well steal prey from it.
How diverse the world is, how many amazing plants and animals live on our planet! And so prominent representative nature, its next miracle can be safely considered a kangaroo. Surely everyone knows in which country the kangaroo lives. Of course, in Australia. But many may have a question about where kangaroos live, except for Australia. And they also live in Guinea, on the Bismarck archipelago and in Tasmania. In total, there are more than fifty species of these animals. All of them vary in size and weight. There is giant kangaroo: red and gray, there are kangaroo rats, wallabies - medium-sized individuals, and others.
This animal belongs to the marsupials. The growth of gigantic kangaroos is quite impressive. Males grow from one hundred to one hundred and seventy centimeters in height, and at the same time weigh from twenty to forty kilograms. Females are slightly smaller, their height is from seventy-five centimeters to one meter, their weight is from eighteen to twenty-two kilograms. The color of the coat is from light gray to reddish-red. All kangaroos have bare black noses and long ears. Thanks to such ears, the animal can pick up even the faintest sounds, which allows you to hear the approach of the enemy in time.
The kangaroo has very long hind legs and a tail, thanks to which the animal maintains balance while moving. And they move only by jumping. Thanks to powerful hind legs, the animal can reach speeds of up to 60 km/h when running, and up to 90 km/h when running away from a predator. But at such a speed, the animal can run for a very short time. Its front legs are short, with very long claws, with which they defend themselves from predators and dig holes in search of water. And thanks to their claws, males sort things out with each other.
The question arises: how long do kangaroos live? And they live for about eighteen years. Sexual maturity is reached at about two years of age. Animals can mate throughout the year. The female's pregnancy lasts thirty-two days. A baby kangaroo is called a joey. He is born blind and without fur, and even quite tiny - two and a half centimeters. Immediately after birth, the cub crawls to the mother's pouch, where it stays for up to six months. Having reached the age of six months, the baby begins to take the first steps, but still returns to the bag. There he lives up to nine months. It should be noted that only females have a bag. It has four nipples. The female simultaneously produces several types of milk for different ages his cub. The fact is that she, having still quite little cub may be pregnant. And in the bag there can be several cubs of different ages at once. The female kangaroo can regulate the size of the bag - make it either larger or smaller. Joey is growing, so he needs more space, but when the mother moves, the walls of the bag are compressed so that the cub does not jump out.
Animals live in the rocky regions of the continent. They feel more secure there. Kangaroos are social animals. The family consists of a male and several females. When the cub reaches sexual maturity, he leaves the family and creates his own. These animals feed exclusively on plant foods. During a drought, they can independently obtain water by digging deep (up to one meter deep) holes. They can also get the water they need from food. Animals lead night image life. It is at dusk that they go out to pastures in order to refresh themselves with juicy grass, but during the day they rest in the shade of trees, hiding from the scorching sun. If some animal hears the approach of the enemy, then it immediately begins to knock loudly with its hind legs, warning relatives of the danger. From time immemorial, there were no predators on the continent where kangaroos live, and the animals felt absolutely safe.
But with the arrival of Europeans on the island, a threat loomed over the kangaroo. Some of the dogs that were brought ran wild - they began to be called And now they have become the main enemies of the kangaroo. When attacked by a predator, the animal tries to lure it into the water and drown it. If there is no reservoir nearby, then the kangaroo runs to the nearest tree, rests against it with its back and delivers a crushing blow with its hind legs. And the legs are really strong. A kangaroo can easily jump over a three-meter barrier. Where the kangaroo lives large predators no. But animals can be subjected to other misfortunes. Very dangerous for kangaroos are midges that clog their eyes, causing severe inflammation. The animal can go blind!
Kangaroos trust people and are practically not afraid of them. Very often these animals can be found in the park or in the forest. If you go to where kangaroos live and you are lucky enough to meet them, then there is a high probability that the animal will even allow itself to be photographed.
Such an eccentric name - "kangaroo" - the animal received thanks to the discoverers of an unknown continent at that time. When the Europeans saw these amazing animals, they asked the natives: "Who is this?" To which the locals replied, "Ken Gu Ru", which translates to "we don't understand." Sailors thought it was the name of an animal. So the name "kangaroo" stuck to him.
Near Australia there is an island where kangaroos live. This area has not yet been fully developed by humans, so animals feel very good here. Animal world presented in this area in its original form. The number of kangaroos on the island is very high.
Wallabies are marsupials belonging to the Kangaroo family. It represents exact copy gigantic kangaroo, only in a reduced form. In height, these animals reach seventy centimeters and weigh up to twenty kilograms. There are up to fifteen species of this animal, some are on the verge of extinction - such as striped wallabies. Almost nothing remains of the once numerous species. They are found only on two islands located off the west coast of Australia. There are mountain wallabies, and there are marsh ones. In appearance and habits, they do not differ - only in their habitat.
Mountain wallabies live in forest thickets and are found throughout Australia. They lead the same way as their brothers, giant kangaroos, predominantly nocturnal. They feed on succulent grass, tree bark and young shoots. Swamp wallabies live in wet plains.
The amazing thing is that wallabies can be kept as a pet. They are easily tamed. But for this you need to take an animal that has not yet been weaned from milk, and independently feed it from a bottle. Otherwise, the animal will be very difficult to tame.
The second name of the animal is the musk kangaroo. This animal is small. Its body reaches a length of forty centimeters, a third is the tail. It is covered with dark thick fur, on which red speckles can be seen. The fur on the hind legs is dark brown, but the feet are completely bare. In appearance, the animals are very similar to ordinary kangaroos. Animals live in hard-to-reach thickets along the banks of rivers. These animals lead a diurnal lifestyle, lazily digging through plant waste in search of insects, earthworms and plant tubers. They also eat grass, tree bark and palm fruit. Females carry their young in a pouch.
This marsupial is the size of a rabbit. The coat is quite long, the upper part is dark in color with black speckles, and the coat on the belly is off-white. This type of kangaroo got its name because of the crest of shaggy black hair on part of the tail. The length of his body is sixty-seven centimeters, of which thirty-one is the tail. The animal digs depressions in the ground, which are lined with grass and branches, it turns out a kind of nest. The bushy-tailed kangaroo chooses a place for a bed in dense thickets of grass, so it is very difficult to see it in the wild. lie in the nests, and come out to feed at night. The animals feed on grass and plant roots, which they very cleverly dig out of the ground.
Australia, the country where kangaroos live, is an amazing place. And if you have the opportunity to visit this wonderful continent, go. At least in order to see the wonderful kangaroos with your own eyes.
photo of a newborn baby kangaroo in a pouch
But scientists have long established that this blind and deaf creature with tenacious claws on its front legs (the hind legs are underdeveloped) is not born in a bag.
It gets into the bag after birth ... But how? Another mystery! Until the last century, scientists were sure that a mother takes a newborn with her teeth or lips and lowers it into a bag. It would seem that there can be no other opinion - this actually half-embryo does not climb into the bag on its own. It would be incredible. And, nevertheless, it is a fact: a newborn kangaroo gets to the bag on its own.
Twenty-four hours before the birth of the cub, the female begins to put the bag in order, carefully licking its inner surface. An hour before birth, she sits on the base of the tail, passing it through the hind legs for balance, and continues to instinctively lick the pouch and cloacal area.
She also licks, shortly before giving birth, a narrow strip of wool on her stomach: she marks the path for the baby, (it’s not clear why! maybe she cleans her skin, or maybe there are some odorous substances in her saliva that show the way to the baby).
Soon a small worm-like creature is born, measuring just over 20 millimeters and weighing 750 milligrams.
At birth, a baby kangaroo is not even fully formed. The tail and hind legs of baby kangaroos resemble small stumps. The eyes are closed and the ears are not shaped. The mouth of the cubs is just a hole.
But, the researchers noted the fact that the fingers of the forelimbs of the newborn kangaroo are equipped with claws and are sufficiently developed to grab onto the mother's fur, while the hind limbs are very poorly developed. The kid will be able to resist even if his restless mother suddenly jumps up.
But one way or another, a naked and blind baby, clinging to his mother's fur with his claws, quickly gets to the bag, searches (obviously, being guided by the smell, since at that time he already has well-developed nostrils and a fully formed olfactory center in the brain ) one of the four nipples and hangs on it.
The nipple swells, the mouth jams, so that the baby from that moment is securely entrenched in the bag. A newborn kangaroo does not know how to suck milk. His mother helps him in this, reducing the special muscles on the nipples, she squirts milk into his mouth.
If at this time the baby accidentally comes off the nipple, it may die of hunger. A kangaroo can produce four types of milk, depending on the age of the kangaroo. Each type of milk is produced in a different nipple. In addition, she can have two types of milk at the same time if she has cubs of different ages.
The mother kangaroo is able to control her pouch thanks to the muscles along the edge at the entrance of the pouch. She can even close the bag so that water does not get into it when swimming. Mom decides when the child can be released and opens the bag.
A newborn, well sheltered in a bag from cold and bad weather, grows quickly. But only by the fifth month will he begin to stick his head out of the bag. Then his body is already slightly covered with hair, standing ears react to any noise. By the end of the sixth month, he, having taken courage, begins to get out of the bag and walk around his mother. By the end of the eighth month, he can finally leave his refuge.
Even after the kangaroo finally leaves the bag, the mother continues to take care of him for several more months.
The reason for this interesting feature kangaroos that the babies of these animals are born very early, and do not look like cubs of females of ordinary mammals, but like highly developed embryos, in that, according to scientists, they have a poorly developed placenta (Allantois placenta of marsupials), which cannot serve as a source of protection and nutrition for the embryo. Therefore, the further development of kangaroo cubs - to normal size, continues in the pouch outside the mother's body.
He grows, becomes covered with wool, opens his eyes, his ears are formed. Finally, he comes off the nipples and jumps out of the bag. The cub emerges from the bag at the age of several months, but if he is in danger at this time, he can immediately climb back into it. But by the age of six months, it reaches such a size that it does not fit in a bag. The kangaroo begins to eat grass, vegetables, like the mother.
He is already strong enough to take care of himself.
Immediately after the birth of the cub, the egg in the female kangaroo can be fertilized again. A small embryo is formed, which is inhibited in development until the bag becomes free again. It turns out very interesting process: while one cub drinks its mother's milk outside, in the wild, the second baby is in the bag, while the third is in the stage of a frozen embryo.
When the grown up kangaroo leaves the bag, a new baby immediately appears there. For some time, these dairy brothers live nearby - one, however, in a bag, the other “outside”. But even an overgrown kangaroo, already finding food on its own, no, no, and yes, it will jump into the bag - either to feast on milk, or being afraid of something.
So, the second baby appears when his brother is already growing up. But in the event of the death of a baby, even if it happens shortly after birth, another one immediately appears in the bag! An empty bag is a signal to the embryo, which, having received it, begins to develop rapidly and soon finds itself in the bag.
Kangaroos have exclusively vegetarian food: grass, leaves of shrubs and trees, fruits, some types of vegetables, grains. In the wild, they eat mostly grass. But they need very little water. Kangaroos can go without water for months.
Male kangaroos do not have a pouch. True, they have special bones to which a bag is attached to female kangaroos.
Kangaroo jumps thanks to powerful hind limbs. While running, the animal balances with its body thanks to its tail. The kangaroo can run at speeds up to 60 kilometers per hour and can jump over a barrier up to 3 meters high (!). During the day, kangaroos usually rest in the shade, but they usually feed in the afternoon or at night when it's cool.
The name kangaroo comes from the word "kanguroo" or "gangurru", the name of this animal in the Guugu-Yimidhirr language of the Australian Aboriginals (the language of the Pama-Nyung family), heard by James Cook from the Aborigines during his landing on the north-eastern coast of Australia in 1770.
A myth has spread widely, according to which James Cook, having arrived in Australia, turned to one of the natives with a question about the name of the animal he saw, but he, not understanding Cook’s speech, answered him in his native language: “I don’t understand.” According to the myth, this phrase, which allegedly sounds like "kangaroo", was taken by Cook for the name of the animal. The groundlessness of this myth is confirmed by modern linguistic research.
There is a new version origin of the name of the word kangaroo: Thor Heyerdahl, together with Academician Fomenko, in their research concluded that the expression that originally sounded "like in Ga-Nurru's bag" came from the Christian saying "like in Ha-Notsri's bosom" (transforming it into a bag). Whether this is true or not, and where the echoes of Christian sayings could come from in Australia, is not known for certain.
Male, female and baby kangaroos English language have their own names. The male kangaroo is called boomer, the female flyer, and the cub - joey.
