Wombats Koala Possums Wallabies and Kangaroos: Diprotodontia

Two members of this order, the kangaroo and the koala, and are national symbols of Australia, and are used heavily in tourist promotions. Kangaroos have been hunted since the first humans arrived in Australia. Today there is a market for kangaroo meat, both for use in pet food and for humans, and leather made of kangaroo skins. The common brushtail possum has adapted to suburban environments, and is considered a nuisance. Introduced into New Zealand in 1840, the brush-tailed possum is an invasive alien (introduced, non-native species) that damages native plants and animal habitats. Many farmers also see the wombat as a pest, since its burrows allow rabbits (invasive aliens in Australia) to cross under fences intended to keep them out of grasslands. Kangaroos, however, have benefited from the colonization of Australia by Europeans. Europeans cleared the land for grazing livestock. This increased the amount of grassland habitat favorable to kangaroos and allowed their populations to increase.