Marsupials are animals that have pouches to carry their young ones. They include the kangaroo, koala, bandicoot, wallaby, wombat, Tasmanian devil, Tasmanian wolf, possum and the opossum. They are found mainly in Australia. The reason why marsupials have pouches for carrying their babies is that their offspring are particularly tiny when they are born. The pouch provides them a ready supply of milk and a safe place to stay till they grow big enough to look after themselves.
The kangaroo has a pouch that opens horizontally on the front of the body. Did you know that a baby kangaroo or joey in hardly the size of a bean at birth?
Interestingly, female kangaroos are able to suckle two joeys simultaneously – one in the pouch and one outside, offering two different types of milk, as well as having an egg ready for implantation. Only female kangaroos have pouches because they do the child rearing – male kangaroos have no need for a pouch as they can’t produce milk.
Picture Credit : Google
