Marsupials: Koala, Kangaroo, Wombat, Tasmanian Devil

Marsupials: Koala, Kangaroo,

Wombat, Tasmanian Devil

 Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, Brisbane, Australia*  

Photos by Dr Abe V Rotor

Marsupials are mammals that nurture their young "half-born",
spending the other half in pouches outside their womb;
It's Nature's adaptation for survival in harsh environments.
as the continents continue to move farther apart;

Evolution favored those species that could readily adopt
to change - the marsupials, settling mainly in Australia,
the land of the marsupials - the kangaroo, koala, wombat,
and more to discover, in the past and present.

How little do we understand evolution, but in mere theory;
mysterious is life beyond our belief and understanding;
thanks to Darwin et al for beating the path we tread on today
as we continue to explore the wonders of creation. - avr

 

"Have you cuddled a koala bear?

Docile, mild, friendly;

it lives high on a eucalyptus tree, 

in comfort and being free." - avr  

 

The koala, sometimes called koala bear, is an arboreal herbivorous marsupial native to Australia. It is the only extant representative of the family Phascolarctidae and its closest living relatives are the wombats. 

 

"My family spent time with a family of kangaroos

in their habitat and played their game -

a kind of safari in modern times, with those, 

 like us, know kangaroos only by name." - avr 

 

 

 

Kangaroos are four marsupials from the family Macropodidae.  The term is used to describe the largest species from this family, the red kangaroo, as well as the antilopine kangaroo, eastern grey kangaroo, and western grey kangaroo. Kangaroos are indigenous to Australia and New Guinea. 

"Oh, how we loved touching the kangaroo

known only in books and stories before;

somewhere in a fairy land yonder yet true,

someday comes in real adventure." - avr 

 

Wombat (Vombatus ursinus) 

"Close to humans, they can run as fast,

live in group - a wisdom of wombats,

for they are thought to be wise, too;

when threatened, they raise their butts,

to ward off and seal their burrow." - avr

The wombat (Vombatus ursinus) is one strange marsupial. This burrowing animal from Australia carries its young in a pouch facing backwards so as not to get dirt in the young one’s eyes! Their backside is covered with a thick hide impervious to the claws of predators. When chased they will dive into their tunnel with their rump sticking out and stay that way until their predator gives up! Internet

Tasmanian devil (Sarcophilus harrisii). 

"Wonder why devil your name,

 when you are shy and coy,

and don't even wear a mane.

save your savage bite and cry

        that raise hell in the night air." - avr

The Tasmanian devil is a carnivorous marsupial of the family Dasyuridae. Until recently, it was only found on the island state of Tasmania, but it has been reintroduced to New South Wales in mainland Australia, with a small breeding population.

*Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary is an 18-hectare koala sanctuary in the Brisbane suburb of Fig Tree Pocket in Queensland, Australia. Founded in 1927, it is the oldest and largest koala sanctuary of its kind in the world. The park houses approximately 80 species of Australian animals.

Acknowledgement: Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, Internet, Wikipedia