Kangaroos
The red kangaroo is Australia's largest kangaroo of the 60 species of kangaroo. This kangaroo is based in the central parts of Australia. They normally move in groups of a few dozen to several hundred. These groups are called Mobs. A mob of kangaroos usually has a male and female leader.
The Red Kangaroo isnt always red they are found also bluish brown or grey. They weigh from about 18kg to 90 kg. The male red kangaroo is usually bigger then the female. These kangaroos grow up to 140 cm. using there tail the can jump up to 1 metre! Jumping like this they can go as fast as 65 km/h. Kangaroos live up to 15 years in the wild.
Male Kangaroos have a very good fighting technique. They usually stand up on their hind limbs and attempt to push their opponent off balance by jabbing him or locking farms. They also kick each other using their tail to support their weight; they deliver kicks with their powerful hind legs.
Wombats
The Wombat is a unique Australian marsupial. There are 3 different species of wombats in Australia. These are the common, northern hairy nosed and the southern hairy nosed. Wombats have claws that are great for digging burrows. Wombats stay in these burrows most of the day and come out at night to eats many different types of grasses and other plants.
The difference between the common and hairy nosed wombats is that hairy nosed wombats longer pointed ears, a hairier nose and silkier fur.
The wombats head and body is about 80 100cm long. They weigh up the 40 kg. The female wombat is usually weighs more then the male. Its fur is soft, silky, and mainly brown, mottled with grey, fawn and black. It has a broad head with black patches around their eyes. The ears are long and slightly pointed with tufts of white hair on the edges.
Platypus
The Platypus is only found in east coast of Australia. They live on the edges of rivers and freshwater lakes where burrows can be dug.
The best streams are ones where the banks are strong enough for building their deep burrows, and often these banks overhang the river. A Platypus often rests during the day in their burrow they go out basking in the sun and grooming its dense fur. But Platypuses are most active for several hours after dusk and before dawn.
Platypuses are great swimmers and divers. The Platypus has a bill that is like a duck's bill but is actually just a snout covered with soft, moist, leathery skin. The body of the platypus is 30 to 45 cm long; its tail is about 10 to 15 cm in length. There feet are webbed like ducks. The body and tail are covered with a thick, soft, woolly layer of fur. The platypus has three layers of fur:
1. An inside layer to trap air and keep the animal warm
2. A middle layer which works like a wet suit
3. An outer layer to feel if it is close to objects
A Platypus grows to a maximum weight of 1 to 2.4 kg. The Platypus is known to live for at least 12 years in the wild
Dugongs
The Dugong is a mammal that has the nickname sea cow.
Dugongs are large grey mammals that live in the sea. Dugongs dont lay eggs they have there young alive. The Dugong grows about 3m in length and weighs almost 500 kg. They have a thick layer of fat giving them a weird look, small paddle-like flippers positioned up on the body and a flattened, powerful tail like the tail of whale.
The brown skin of a Dugong looks smooth, but a really close view shows a rough surface covered in pits from which grow short, thick hairs.
Dugongs have 2 nostrils near the top of their heads on a lip, which can curl up to make breathing easier on the surface.
Dugongs swim in large groups and are found on the northern waters of Australia. Female Dugongs give birth underwater to a single calf every three to seven years. Birth takes place in shallow water and the baby dugong is able to swim to the top of the water for its first breath. Baby dugongs are about 100 to 120cm long and weigh 20 to 30 kg. The calf stays with its mother and drinks milk from her teats and stays close for about 2 years.
Dugongs are sometimes called Sea Cows because they eat many types of seagrasses
