Wednesday, May 1, 2013
Marsupials
Marsupials are mammals which live mainly in the Southern Hemisphere. A characteristic of marsupials which is common to most species is that the young of marsupials are carried in a pouch. Some well-known marsupials include kangaroos, koalas, possums, wombats and the Tasmanian devil. Marsupials give birth to quite undeveloped young. The young will stay in the mother's pouch for a certain time after birth. About 70% of the 334 existing species can be found in Australia, New Guinea, and the islands nearby. The remaining 100 species can be found mostly in South America. 13 can be found in Central America, and one species can be found in North America, north of Mexico.
Sources: Wikipedia, Google
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MARSUPIALS
ReplyDeleteMarsupial, a type of mammal, is distinguished from other mammals by certain anatomical and reproductive features. Most female marsupials carry and nurse their young inside an abdominal flap of skin called the abdominal pouch, or marsupium. Marsupials include such animals as Numbat, Tasmanian Devil, Koala, Dibbers, Red Kangaroo, Bandicoot, Opossum, Phalanger, Wombat, Dasyure and Western Quoll.
In Australia, many marsupials such as the Numbat, Tasmanian Devil, Koala, Dibbers and Western Quoll are in danger of becoming extinct. People have brought foxes and wild dogs to Australia. These animals prey upon the marsupials. In clearing land for farms and cities, people have destroyed the marsupials’ habitats and their food sources.
Human hunters have killed many of these animals for their soft, beautiful fur. The koala was almost wiped out, but now special laws protect this marsupial.
Conservation programs are set up in the Perth Zoo to protect the endangered marsupials to ensure the survival of the species in the wild.