MarsupialsBy Florence Lacrosse 7W

A Short IntroductionMarsupials are pouched mammals, such as the kangaroo,

wallaby, wombat, opossum (also known as the possum), koala, tasmanian devil, numbat, mice, moles, squirrels and more. A ‘pouched mammal’ means that once a mother gives birth her child stays in her pouch, occasionally peeping out for food.

The mother’s pouch is called a marsupium. The youngster will only leave the marsupium when they cannot fit in it any more.

Marsupials are found in Oceana as well as North and South America. Many of them are nocturnal, appearing only after dusk. There are about 334 different species of marsupials.

Most can be classified into one of six groups. (1) Didelphids (2) Caenolestids, (3) Macropods (4) Phalangers

(5) Dasyurids (6) Peramelids

Did you know?

The first toe of a

marsupial’s

hind

foot is either

absent or lacks a

claw.

The body temperature of a marsupial is lower than the one of an average mammal.

Most marsupials have more teeth than placental

mammals.

DID YOU KNOW?

DID YOU KNOW?DID YOU

KNOW?

Really? I didn’t know

that.

WOW!!!

Different animals

Kangaroo Koala

Wombat Possum

Quiz time!!!

A. There are around 450

different species.

How many different

marsupial species are there?

B. There are around 350

different species.

C. There are around 400

different species.

A. The marsupium.

What is another name for the

mother’s ‘pouch’?B. The

mother’s pocket.

C. The marsupium

pocket.

A. When the mother

abandons it.

When will a joey leave it’s mother’s

pouch?B. When it

cannot fit in the pouch anymore.

C. When it is old enough to

feed itself.

A. Higher

‘The body temperature of a marsupial is …

than the one of an average mammal’B. The same

C. Lower

A. The kangaroo,

possum, koala and the wombat.

The four animals that you learnt most about are

what?B. The wallaby, numbat, koala

and mole.

C. The kangaroo,

numbat, koala and possum.

A. Bear

‘The koala is a …, it feeds on plants and fruit but not

meat.’B. Leave eater

C. Herbivore

A. True

The kangaroo is only found in

Australia, True or false?

B. False

C. The founder of wombats

decided on the name

Where does the name wombat come from?

B. Eucalyptus tree company

A. Eora Aboriginal community

A. Ice age

‘Possums have been here since

the time of …’

B. Einstein

C. The Dinosaurs

A. 12

How many questions does this quiz have?

B. 13

C. 10

KangaroosThere are around 50 species of kangaroos, some of which

are small like rabbits and some which can climb trees, living in Australia, Tasmania, northward to New Guinea

and also in some neighbouring islands. Kangaroos are the largest marsupials , a male red kangaroo can reach up to 6 feet high and can weigh up to 120 pounds. Kangaroos have powerful hind legs and short, thumbless forelimbs.

They can travel at speeds up to 30 miles per hour and can leap up to 30 feet. Kangaroos use their long tails for balancing. Their bodies are covered in thick, coarse, woolly hair that can be shades of grey, brown or red.

KoalasKoalaThe koala is a herbivore, it feeds on plants and fruit but not

meat. They are the only species left in the Phascolarctidae family. Koalas live in woodlands so they climb from tree to

tree. They have long claws to grip the bark. The koala only lives in the Eucalyptus tree and only feeds on different gum

leaves.

A koala mother usually gives birth to one joey at a time. A newborn koala is only the size of a jelly bean. The baby is

blind, naked (no hairs), and earless. As soon as it's born, this tiny creature makes its way from the birth canal to its

mother's pouch. When the joey is 6 months old, it leaves the pouch and is carried on it’s mother’s back.A koala’s

top sports: •Sleeping• Eating

WombatsWombats are Australian marsupials; they are short-legged, muscular quadrupeds, approximately 1 meter (39 inches) in length with a very

short tail. They are found in forested, mountainous, and heathland areas of south-eastern Australia and Tasmania. The name wombat comes from the Eora Aboriginal community who were the original inhabitants of the

Sydney area. Wombats dig extensive burrow systems with rodent-like front teeth and powerful claws. One distinctive adaptation of wombats is their backwards pouch. The advantage of a backwards-facing pouch is

that when digging, the wombat does not gather dirt in its pouch over its young.

Possums (Opossums)Possums have been around since the time of the dinosaurs. They

are unusually resistant to the venom of venomous snakes and are extremely unlikely to acquire rabies. They have 50 very

sharp teeth, more than any land mammal.  The Virginia opossum is the only marsupial (pouched mammal) found in the United

States. The Virginia Opossum was the first animal to be named an opossum; usage of the name was published in 1610. The word opossum comes from the Algonquin ‘aposoum’, meaning "white beast". Before the term opossum they were called possums but know they are referred to as both. Female opossums often give

birth to very large numbers of young, most of which fail to attach to a teat, although as many as thirteen young can attach.

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