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Wallabies and Kangaroos: Macropodidae

Wallabies, Kangaroos, And People

Many species of kangaroos and wallabies have been hunted for their meat and their skins both by aboriginal (native) Australians and by European settlers. These animals are also important in the Aboriginal culture, where they often play important roles in traditional dreamtime stories. Some sheep ranchers consider kangaroos and wallabies to be a nuisances, because they eat the grass and other plants that the farmers want for livestock grazing.

MEETING THE CHANGING NEEDS OF BABIES

When kangaroo newborns climb into their mother's pouches, they attach themselves to one of her nipples. From this nipple they get the milk that provides the nourishment they need to survive and grow. But the nutritional needs of a newborn are not the same as the nutritional needs of a young animal almost ready to leave the pouch. To make sure their young get the nutrients they need, female kangaroos have milk that changes in content as the young matures. When the young-at-foot and a young in the pouch are both suckling, the two different nipples actually produce two different types of milk, suited to the needs of the two different young.

Additional topics

Animal Life ResourceMammalsWallabies and Kangaroos: Macropodidae - Physical Characteristics, Behavior And Reproduction, Wallabies, Kangaroos, And People, Eastern Gray Kangaroo (macropus Giganteus): Species Accounts - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, DIET, CONSERVATION STATUS