Have you ever had a strong urge to peep inside a kangaroo pouch to see what it contains?Kangaroos are mammals belonging to the Macropods family. With an average height of more than 6 ft (1.8 m), they are the largest marsupials living on Earth.Initially found in Australia and parts of New Guinea, kangaroos are the national animal of Australia and are often referred to as the ‘symbol of Australia.‘Kangaroo’s personality traits include strong hind legs, small front legs, and a long powerful tail. Kangaroos have large feet, which help them leap about 30 ft (9 m) in a single jump. They can cover a distance of more than 30 mph (48 kph). Kangaroos take the help of their powerful tails to balance their body while hopping. Kangaroos are of multiple types. They are broadly classified into four different species, all of which are natives of Australia. They are the eastern gray kangaroos, red kangaroos, antilopine kangaroos, and western gray kangaroos. Fully-grown kangaroos weigh 60-120 lb (27-54 kg) on average. Big kangaroos may also weigh up to 200 lb (90.7 kg).In eastern Australia, Kangaroos live in small groups called ‘mobs.’ A mob comprises more than 50 kangaroos in one place. The female kangaroos have an external pouch-like structure of folded skin on their belly, wherein they keep the baby kangaroos for about three to four months. Baby kangaroos are called joeys.After the baby kangaroos are born, the blind and hairless joeys climb and get inside their mamma’s thick furry pouch on their own. Female kangaroos use their muscles to pump milk from their own nipple into a newly born baby’s throat because baby kangaroos cannot suck or swallow. For as long as the baby develops, the little roo poops and pees inside the mother’s pouch. Joeys come out of their mom’s pouch after about four months for short time intervals to graze on shrubs and grass. When a joey grows and reaches the age of eight months or above, it leaves the pouch and becomes a mature kangaroo.Now, let’s answer some of the most frequently asked questions about a kangaroo’s pouch. At the same time, you must also read about penguin feet and garter snake diet.What is a kangaroo pouch called?Marsupials, including kangaroos, have a pocket or pouch called a marsupium.It is used to carry their babies for four months after they are born because their young ones are very small and immature post-birth. You won’t believe that a baby roo is just the size of a bean or a grape when it’s born.Why do kangaroos have a pouch?The female kangaroo pouch is lined with sweat glands and, at the same time, is a safe and comfortable place for the joeys to stay at just the start of their lives. Babies leave the pouch when they grow large enough to survive in the environment outside.The pouches are an integral part of the reproductive system of kangaroos or any marsupial because the baby roo does not have a gestation period as long as that of other mammals. These pouches act as a second womb. Also, a baby roo is very small when it is born, and hence, needs time to mature and develop into an adult kangaroo by growing fur.Do male kangaroos have a pouch?Kangaroo pouches are an integral part of the female reproductive system of female kangaroos for their whole life.This is because the babies live in the marsupium until they are fully developed. Only female kangaroos have pouches on their belly. Therefore, a male kangaroo does not have a pocket.How does a kangaroo pouch look from the inside?Most of us believe that a mother kangaroo’s pouch looks like a simple pocket or like the pockets on a pair of jeans, but how does the pouch look from the inside?It is not as simple as it looks. In fact, inside the pouch is like an ultimate nursery that is enriched with all the nutrient levels required for a growing joey. The pouch is considered a second womb and is hairless and lined with multiple sweat glands. Also, it contains nipples that release milk for the various stages of a joey’s development.You’ll be surprised to know that a mother kangaroo actually keeps her pouch tidy by licking it with her tongue to clean the dirt, as well as her baby’s poop.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for inside kangaroo pouch, then why not take a look at What do kangaroos eat? or kangaroo facts?
Have you ever had a strong urge to peep inside a kangaroo pouch to see what it contains?
