An Informative List of Marsupials
Are you looking for an informative list of marsupials? Well, you have certainly come to the right place! Marsupials are extraordinary animals. We often recognize a marsupial as being an animal that carries its young in a pouch usually located on the abdomen, however did you know that when a marsupial is born, it is born incomplete? That’s right! When we humans are born, we are fully formed in the sense that most of our physical and protective devices are formed, they just need to grow. In the case of a marsupial, it is born and then carried in its mother’s pouch until it has finished the gestation process and becomes capable of moving outside of the pouch. A young marsupial will still return to its mother’s pouch for protection and during travel, however the mother will eventually wean the marsupial from the pouch when it is time for the young to learn to care for itself.
Take a look at the following list of marsupials. It is by far not a complete list, which includes over 250 different species of marsupial, however it does contain some interesting facts about our favorite marsupials.
Kangaroos and Wallabies
The kangaroo and the wallaby are by far the most widely recognized marsupials around. They both have prominent hind legs used to propel their bodies from the ground for quick travel and agility, and they also have long tails, long ears, and a snout somewhat like that of a deer. A kangaroo will typically reach a height between four and eight feet (maxing out at nine feet), whereas a wallaby will typically be around two feet tall (four feet at the maximum).
Possums
There are almost a hundred different species of possum in America alone, and many more in other parts of the world. Most generally have a long and slender body with a pointed snout. They come in many colors including, white, grey, black, brown, and even red. Most possums have hairless ears and a long tail that can wrap around objects like tree branches. They also have very sharp teeth!
Koalas
The koala is often depicted as being a cuddly bear but it is in fact a marsupial. Part of the reason the koala earned the association with the term “bear” is likely due to its posture and gait while walking. They have a burly body with short legs that looks very similar to that of a bear. The koala has a slightly rounded face but is mostly flat in appearance. Their most outstanding characteristics are probably their large furry ears and big velvety nose. They also possess very soft fur that is a real treat to pet! One thing you may not know about the koala is that it spends about 75% of its time sleeping!
See Related: Australian Marsupials
Quolls
The quoll looks almost like a cuddly version of a possum. It has very fluffy and soft fur that is typically brown with white spots. They have hairless fingers, sharp teeth, and a very flexible tail, much like possums. The quoll is a very agile nocturnal creature that spends a lot of its time hunting for birds, large insects, and other small mammals, but they will also forage for fruit, grass, and even carcasses of dead animals. Quolls are now only found in Tasmania.
Wombats
At first glance the wombat appears strikingly similar to the koala, however they are quite different! The wombat sleeps underground in a burrow. It has a very prominent head and a short, stocky body. The wombat likes its privacy so much that it took a good ten years before settlers in Australia first noticed them! This species actually has not been widely studied due to its timid and reclusive nature.
Although this list of marsupials is far from complete, it does provide a good look into an interesting subcategory of mammals!
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