Discover down under! Each day a different picture pertaining to Starfire's tour of Australia is featured, along with a brief explanation written by Australia enthusiasts.
2005 June 14
What are marsupials anyway?
Marsupials differ from other mammals by having their young born in an extremely immature or undeveloped state. Newborn marsupials remain in their mother's pouch to nurse until they can fend for themselves. A few marsupials, such as the shrew opossum, do not have pouches. There are about 260 different species of marsupials, including kangaroos, wallabies, wombats, bandicoots, and koalas, plus several mouse-sized species. (Which one of the animals in the collage is a Wombat?) Marsupials range in size from a six-foot-tall red kangaroo to a shrew-like ningauis that only weighs 1/10th of an ounce. Contrary to popular belief, there are Marsupials that have developed on other continents.
Kangaroos are often called "boomers."
Authors & editors:
Bob Bolles
&
Phil Bolles