For those who live outside of Australasia, regular
encounters with marsupials are probably fairly rare. It may be this lack of
frequency that results in confusion for many people regarding what exactly
qualifies an animal as a marsupial. While many of these types of animals do
reside in moderate climates where trees and other foliage exist for climbing
and eating, these are not actually the calling cards which distinguish them
from other classes.
Two of the best known members of the marsupial family are often
photographed perched in or hanging from trees. The koala and opossum are
certainly two very different-looking creatures, and yet they hail from the same
infraclass. One key difference to note is that koalas, like most marsupials,
are native only to Australia and nearby Oceania islands. By contrast, opossums
represent the only marsupial that is native to North America, dispelling the
common myth that all animals of this type hail from just a single continent.
Trees are not the only dwelling places for these types of
animals, either. While koalas and opossums have no problem scaling limber
branches, larger species must rely on other means of shelter and self-defense
against predators. A well-known example is the kangaroo, a land-based animal known
for the distinctive pouch used to carry and protect the animal’s young. This is
actually one of the few true distinguishing features of all marsupials, who
give birth to young early and continue to raise and develop them within the
safe confines of their built-in pouches. Kangaroos just happen to get most of
the recognition.
While the image of the rugged Australian outback may come to
mind when picturing a typical habitat, many marsupials exist in a range of
varied climates. As an example, the mountain pygmy possum makes residence in
the snowy Australian Alps, while animals such as wombats actually burrow
underground to establish their dwelling spaces. Indeed, the image of kangaroos
and koalas populating barren stretches of dry land is just a small picture of
marsupials as a whole.
One last common mistake is to make the assumption that a
marsupial is naturally an herbivore. In fact, depending on the animal’s
specific type of teeth, marsupials may indulge in many different forms of
sustenance. For example, opossums and bandicoots are actually known to be
omnivorous, while wombats, kangaroos, and koalas are more apt to stick to leafy
greens. Many other species subsist on insects and small prey, highlighting the
truly diverse nature of marsupials as a whole.
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