Wildlife Australia: Kangaroos | Free Documentary Nature

[Music] the animal kingdom a remarkable array of living breathing natural wonders [Music] compelling ingenious [Music] and extraordinary fascinating physical visceral and ferocious [Music] discover their past present and future [Music] just stunning just glorious just amazing [Music] just [Music] three kangaroos [Music] mention australia and kangaroos immediately come to mind [Music] bounding across the outback they are the essence of the great southern land as lions are for africa and polar bears the arctic for centuries these iconic animals have been enjoying worldwide attention their undeniable appeal their unique appearance [Music] when a new creature is encountered for the first time comparing them to other animals is the only way to begin to describe them explorer amerigo vespucci described them as having the head of a fox human-like hands the tail of a monkey and a bag to carry its young a feature noted as a wonderful provision of nature this early attempt to conjure a vision of these unique creatures did what justice it could a difficult task when the real thing is unlike anything encountered before [Music] there are more species of kangaroos roaming the wilds of australia than breeds of antelope found in southern africa [Music] family members can range from the size of a large rat through to a hefty 90 kilos as for population 46 million that's the most recent conservative estimate for the number of large rules in australia when it comes to standing out from the crowd kangaroos do it in style thanks to a trio of impressive features [Music] long hind feet coupled with powerful back legs plus a thick muscular tail a winning combination that gives these unusual creatures their equally unusual style of movement one they are known for around the globe [Music] kangaroos are the only large animals that use hopping as their main form of locomotion [Music] their nicknames celebrate their famous bounding gate females are flyers on dominant males boomers the sound their feet make as they pound through the bush [Music] roos are social animals and often gather together in groups or mobs they're made up of an even mix of genders those the females and males known as bucks with an alpha male in charge youngsters in or out of the pouch are known as joeys as iconic as ruse are to australia they are not exclusive to the great southern land kangaroos are found on another island to the north the tropical rainforests of new guinea host the vast majority of tree kangaroos 8 out of 10 species looking like a cross between a lima and a kangaroo these macropods have adapted to an arboreal way of life on the ground they are slow and clumsy but in the treetops bold and agile one look at a kangaroo's lush coat of fur immediately places them in the class of mammals the presence of hair or fur are not the only features that allow entry into this club all members are vertebrates with females possessing mammary glands hence the name mammals these special glands produce milk used to feed their young [Music] in many ways kangaroos are no ordinary mammals they are in fact marsupials named for the pouch or marsupium where females carry their young that wonderful provision of nature [Music] while many marsupials call australia home they are found in other parts of australasia as well as the americas [Music] kangaroos however belong to their own family the macropod family this term comes from the greek meaning long foot the size of the macropod family is equally impressive more than 50 species make up the clan divided into three main groups first the kangaroos they're small relatives wallabies and tree kangaroos next the potteroos and betongs rabbit-sized forest dwellers [Music] lastly the musky rat kangaroo the living fossil of the rainforest macropods have proven to be the most adaptable of creatures not only occupying terrestrial habitats but also making themselves comfortable above and below ground level [Music] as a group kangaroos have mastered their environment eastern and western grey kangaroos antillopines and reds are the big four sometimes called the great kangaroos [Music] leading the pack size-wise is the red kangaroo these iconic australian creatures wave the flag for the rest of their lesser-known cousins when upright the average red stands at one and a half meters males can grow much taller up to 2 meters and can weigh up to 90 kilos reds take first prize as the largest marsupials not only in australia but the world females are much smaller lighter faster and slightly confusingly not red the nickname blue flyer is a nod to their speed and their bluey grey fur both genders have pale bellies and distinctive white facial stripes that run from the corner of their mouth back to their ears a red kangaroo's greatest asset is its tail it acts like a fifth appendage not only offering support but also propulsion reds are found in the most arid zones of the continent the male's rusty fur matching the rich earthy tones of the country's interior a zone called the red center the next best known roux is the eastern grey sometimes called the great grey kangaroo as their name suggests they have light gray fur they are also identified by the dark coloured tip on their tails compared to a red they are not only shorter in stature they also have smaller ears and pointier snouts plus their coats are woollier [Music] eastern grey kangaroos live up to their name distributed throughout the easternmost third of the country as well as the island state of tasmania [Music] eastern greys inhabit a wide variety of terrain no strangers to the beaches and damp forests of the coastline they are equally at home in grasslands and scrub [Music] plus they are hardy enough to brave chile alpine regions [Music] across the southern and western regions of australia their close cousins the slightly smaller western greys are difficult to tell apart especially when their ranges overlap [Music] one sure sign to look for is the western's darker fur another is the unusual smell that the males emit earning them the nickname stinkers [Music] the similarities between the eastern and western grey had so confused biologists that these two rouges have only been classed as separate species since the 1970s kangaroo island off the coast of south australia hosts its own subspecies of these darkly furred macropods aptly named sooty's [Music] far to the north at the top end of australia is the last of the big four the antillopine kangaroo or wallaroo [Music] wallaroos fit between a kangaroo and a wallaby in size males can get up to 70 kilos approximately twice the size of females [Music] hot tropical conditions are no deterrent to the wallaroo mobs as they graze among the savannah and [Music] woodland after the big four kangaroos the next step down in size are the wallabies [Music] there are approximately 44 species of these moderate-sized macropods spread throughout australia the distinction between a kangaroo and wallaby is basically an arbitrary one based on smaller body size and shorter foot length wallaby's more compact legs give them greater agility in the forested habitats they enjoy a wide distribution preferring more remote and heavily timbered areas avoiding the semi-arid planes of the interior [Music] rock wallabies are right at home in rugged rocky terrain [Music] their modified feet giving them enough grip to help them bound in and around boulders and caves found primarily on several islands off western australia quakers are another variant of wallaby about the size of a domestic cat they have fairly short tails compared to the rest of the rue family and can also climb short trees and shrubs for food quakers are also nocturnal feeding primarily at night [Music] the ten species of tree kangaroos are smaller again than the wallabies their bodies adapted for a very different lifestyle amongst the canopies native to papua new guinea but listed as endangered in their natural habitat good fellows tree kangaroos are mainly observed in captive breeding programs they have distinctive looks with reddish brown fur golden faces and bellies plus a pair of stripes running down their back decorating the base of each animal's tail is a unique pattern of rings male and female goodfellows are similar in size both averaging 8 kilos the smallest of all is the lumholtz's tree kangaroo found in australian tropical rainforests not as vibrant as the good fellows they have grey coats punctuated with a dark mask of facial fur and black pores to match males tip the scales at about seven kilos with females weighing a fraction less back down on ground level is where the more petite macropods roam potteroos and bettongs average only one kilo they are identified by their rat-like tails and longer snouts and unlike kangaroos like to live a solitary life the forest understories and dense thickets of the east coast and tasmania provide potteroos and bettongs with ideal environments the rainforests of northeast australia are the only place you will find the smallest and rarest species of macropod the rat kangaroo musky rat kangaroos are the smallest and only type of rat kangaroo left in existence regarded as a living fossil the reptile-like scales on their feet and tails linked them to their ancestors that roamed the australian rainforests 26 million years ago [Music] [Music] foreign every living thing has its own stash of special adaptations and survival skills kangaroos come equipped with their own natural arsenal to help them battle it out and thrive in one of the harshest driest environments on the planet keeping their cool is one thing kangaroos have mastered while they only sweat when they're on the move they do have another trick up their sleeves when at rest they can often be seen licking their forearms the evaporating saliva cooling them down [Music] a kangaroo lazing in the shade is actually busy by increasing their breathing rate to 200 pounds per minute they can expel lots of body heat as with many desert species moisture conservation is a must [Music] internally a kangaroo's digestive system extracts as much water as possible as to their kidneys which produce hyper-concentrated urine during periods of drought water isn't the only thing that dries up males do not produce sperm and females will only fall pregnant if sufficient rain has fallen to ensure a decent food supply during dry spells pregnant does can also play their embryonic diaporse card a reproductive strategy that essentially brings the development of an embryo to a halt until conditions improve also when food is scarce kangaroos have a clever backup plan in their tails this is where excess fat is stored providing the animal with a vital source of energy when times are tough as already mentioned a kangaroo's tail is its biggest asset it forms the third leg of a furry tripod allowing roos to stand upright watch a kangaroo walk and the importance of their thick tail is obvious when they move in this way it's called pencil pedaling [Music] a kangaroo's tail also plays an integral role in their famous pop full flight the tail acts as a counterbalance keeping the animal stable at the same time the tail's pumping motion also enhances the breathing process apart from being a fantastic site a kangaroo's hop is a marvel of energy efficiency with each bounce elastic potential energy is stored in their long leg tendons making the following hops easier [Music] once they're on the go it's a relatively effortless way to travel their long feet also contribute to this efficiency by adding to the length of their legs the roo's large feet give them greater leverage when they need to go faster they simply increase the length of their stride they don't hop more often they just cover a greater distance with each bound a hopping speed of 50 kilometers an hour gives the average roux a stride length of about 6 meters however footprints have been seen that were nine or more meters apart meaning those roofs were really motoring [Music] hopping is not only a graceful way to track the outback it is also more efficient running at the same speeds a kangaroo uses less energy than a four-legged animal [Music] as for the tree kangaroos their limbs are different in design and function to make climbing through branches possible they have short hind legs that can move independently of each other their feet are shorter and wider than that of a terrestrial kangaroo plus their padded soles and sharp curved claws give them additional grip [Music] their tails are relatively longer but are nowhere near as sturdy merely offering a counterbalance to the animal as it crawls or leaps through the treetops kangaroo's eyes are located high up on their skulls giving them a 324 degree field of vision a roo's eyesight is on par with the sensitivity level of horses cattle and rabbits with ears that swivel independently macropods have excellent hearing they also have a superior sense of smell able to detect bodies of water or rainfalling up to 20 kilometers away in terms of camouflage macropods have got it covered their fur coloration helps each member of the family blend in with their surroundings such as red kangaroos matching the earthy tones of the arid interior grays are also well matched to the dry grasses and washed out colors of the australian landscape as for tree kangaroos they avoid detection from above and below by exhibiting what is known as counter shading seen from above their dark fur hides them viewed from below their pale bellies match the light streaming down through the forest canopy thus allowing them to disappear in plain sight [Music] to keep their fur in top condition macropods have their own special comb on rose the two inner toes of the rear feet are fused together known as syndactyly making a double claw which is used for grooming a handy tool when it comes to scratching an itch or removing an annoying parasite [Music] from top to toe the kangaroo certainly is an impressive collection of ingenious [Music] adaptations [Music] um kangaroos may not have been introduced to the wider world until a few centuries ago but these macropods have a much longer history one that stretches over millions of years researchers believe ancient south american marsupials made their way to australia via antarctica more than 80 million years ago when the continents were all connected making up the supercontinent of gondwana today marsupials are found all over the globe but nowhere can compete with the diversity seen in australia a lack of predators seems to explain the marsupial boom enjoyed in the great southern land [Music] fast forward to 30 million years ago and early kangaroos finally made an appearance known as short-faced kangaroos these ancient creatures were triple the size of the largest macropods seen today as time passed and conditions changed so did the ruse fossil evidence shows changes in the shape of their teeth and skulls drier conditions forcing them from a diet of soft forest leaves to tougher foliage and grasses the anatomy of their feet changed as well causing them to gradually swap their upright walking gate to a hop by gradually remodeling their ankle design kangaroos were able to actually take a great evolutionary leap forward the trend of bounding along took another 15 million years to take hold while short-faced kangaroos and modern species lived alongside one another the giants disappeared about 30 000 years ago leaving their smaller counterparts to continue the family line today the closest relatives to kangaroos are their fellow marsupials such as koalas possums and wombats they are all diprotodons meaning two front teeth this family trait comes in handy at meal times a pair of large incisors jutting out from their lower jaw helps slice through vegetation from south america to the great southern land kangaroos have truly come a long way [Music] some members of the animal kingdom choose to go it alone but not the kangaroo they are highly social creatures depending on the species a mob can range from just a few ruse to 20 or so when food is abundant mob numbers can swell into the hundreds even thousands with eastern greys a mob is comprised of females and they're young plus a few mature males only the alpha male the boomer has breeding rights as females are able to produce year round the boomer is kept busy watching over the does to see if they are in season and keeping the other males in the mob at bay asserting his dominance and rising to any challenge should any of them dare to test the boomer he has a few ways to keep them in their place his first power play can be to stand upright and intimidate through sheer size alphas sometimes pull at clumps of grass or rub their chest on the ground perhaps spreading their scent as a warning and when all else fails a fight will erupt between the rivals these are usually short affairs with the two competitors locking their arms together then pushing and kicking until one is not down or surrenders [Music] um nose touching and sniffing is a common form of greeting between males and females smell cues are absorbed they're subtle messages clearly understood joey's and their mothers often share tender moments babies nuzzling at their mother's pouch not always for a drink sometimes purely for reassurance [Music] until they are truly confident in the outside world joeys will often escape into the warm familiar confines of their pouch like many young animals joeys can't resist a good playfight tussling amongst themselves and sometimes the cheekier ones take on their mums [Music] as a family marsupials stand apart from other mammals thanks to the way the females raise their young inside a pouch marsupials come into the world after short pregnancies in kangaroos the average gestation period is about a month inside the pouch the joey latches on to one of the four teats on offer fueling its ongoing development with the dough's milk starting out at roughly the size of a jelly bean weighing just one gram the joey quickly grows the fat content of the mother's milk increasing to match the rising energy requirements of the developing youngster [Music] eastern greyjoys start to take short excursions from their furry bedrooms at the nine month mark [Music] eight weeks later they're out for good but continue to enjoy a suckle some do attempt to move back home but a pouch can only stretch so far by the time an eastern gray is 18 months old it is weaned and fully independent in comparison red joeys emerge from the pouch when they're eight months old these youngsters then stay at foot nursing from their mother for another three or four months tree kangaroos keep their joeys close for the longest period giving them time to develop and find their feet before a life in the canopy [Music] food wise joeys can sample their first solids while in the pouch as their mother grazes they can lean out and taste test any shoots they can reach as for the furry front door that is the pouch the key is held by the doe by squeezing or relaxing muscles of the entry she is in control of her joey's movements in and out should the need arise for a fast getaway the joey is kept safely inside thanks to this strong pouch muscle when conditions are good kangaroos can breed year round with summer often seeing a peak in births [Music] females can also have three youngsters at the same time one out of the pouch another developing inside with a third embryo in a special pause mode in the womb where it waits until the pouch is vacated the multitasking doesn't stop there while this is happening she is also manufacturing two types of milk one suitable for the newborn and another mixture perfect for the older siblings needs [Music] young female kangaroos tend to reach sexual maturity earlier than males red does only need to be 18 months to two years of age to start raising their own joeys while the males have to wait at least another year before they can start to try in reality red bucks aren't really up to the challenge until they're seven [Music] while young kangaroos are often seen play fighting against their siblings with their paws as the boys develop things get serious [Music] their pores aren't the only appendage that can pack a punch their namesake long feet and large toes can deliver some powerful kicks all this is preparation for that time in the future when aru can challenge for alpha status and the ability to pass their strong healthy genes onto the next generation [Music] fully grown roos have few native enemies dingoes are opportunistic hunters and will take joey's or smaller roos given a chance the size of an adult and the size of the mob is usually deterrent enough against them eagles might take an unlucky joey caught outside its mother's pouch life expectancy of an eastern grey kangaroo is estimated at six to ten years comparatively reds could enjoy life spans of 20 years or longer [Music] in the macropod world longevity does not discriminate when it comes to size for instance pint-sized quackers can enjoy life to the full for up to a decade [Music] kangaroos are not nocturnal but crepuscular which means they are most active at dusk and dawn while not territorial they do have home ranges in their search for food eastern greys only tend to roam about 20 hectares [Music] in comparison western greys travel five times that to meet their needs [Music] living in drier sparsely vegetated regions reds bound even further afield scouring seven times the area that greys need to to fill their bellies [Music] these adaptable creatures pay their dues by playing a vital role in the ecosystem as part of the food chain kangaroos are primary consumers herbivores that feed on various forms of vegetation they in turn provide food for secondary consumers carnivores plus scavengers and decomposers thanks to their dietary habits kangaroos are like gardeners their constant nibbling promotes the regeneration of native flora [Music] this is when that prominent pair of incisors comes in handy helping them reap in their daily harvest of greens these bush vegetarians also assist with natural fire management by consuming vegetation in grasslands and forests they actively lower potential fuel loads [Music] potteroos have a diverse diet including roots tubers fruits herbs grasses insects and fungi their eating habits play an important role in forest health through the distribution of fungi that assist trees in fixing nitrogen [Music] while most macropods are grazers some do opt for leaves and shrubs enjoying a mainly for liverous or leafy diet some larger members of the family are in fact the pickiest dry grass is harder for eastern greys to digest this means young tender shoots are on their dietary radar their fussiness is rewarded by the fact that these baby greens are higher in protein no matter what vegetation they choose once the cutting teeth have done their job large molars can get to work grinding up tough fibers like other grazing animals such as cattle and sheep kangaroos have chambered stomachs the first chamber or foregut uses a high concentration of microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi to help break down or ferment complex plant materials like cellulose like cattle kangaroos can often be seen chewing their cud this second pass mechanically aids the digestion process during times of drought their natural water conservation skills do come into play allowing roos to go for extended periods without drinking living in dry conditions kangaroos obtain most of the moisture they need from their food that doesn't mean they don't drink [Music] no matter which roux or where they are found one thing is certain the outback wouldn't be the same without these magnificent creatures bounding gracefully across the plains [Music] the word kangaroo is one known around the globe and fans have the guaga yumatha people of the northeast coast of australia to thank for it captain cook the british explorer recording this snippet of their language in 1770 while his ship the endeavour was undergoing repairs what started as gongoru has been anglicized to become kangaroo kangaroos are held in high regard by indigenous people for cultural spiritual and social reasons for some they are a totem an animal believed to be an ancestral relation this special bond coming with responsibilities such as the protection of these sacred creatures the respect felt towards kangaroos has been recorded over time through art dance ceremonies and traditional dream time stories while they continue to be a food source kangaroos are seen as spiritual warriors and worthy opponents their high stature has continued into modern times a red kangaroo taking pride of place on australia's coat of arms sharing it with the emu as neither native animal can move backwards easily they were chosen to symbolize progress always moving forwards kangaroos can also be found on australian currency a mob of five bound across the tail side of the one dollar coin these humble native animals are also pop culture icons featuring in books cartoons songs films and tv series sporting teams from local through to international levels proudly take on macropod names hoping aspiring to embody their natural agility and strength [Music] their affinity for boxing hasn't gone unnoticed either their fighting spirit decorating flags enthusiastically waved at an international sailing competition in the 80s kangaroos don't only fly along ground but also in skies and have been doing so since 1920 from rock paintings to rock star status kangaroos are well and truly embedded in the hearts and minds of animal lovers worldwide in a region that boasts a multitude of unique wildlife kangaroos are one of the most prominent not only because of their good looks athletic prowess and engaging behaviors but also due to their abundance of the great kangaroo species the eastern gray leads the tally with more than 21 million in their ranks great news from a conservation standpoint none of the four large rues are considered endangered [Music] the story is different however for their smaller relatives with higher than 50 percent listed as [Music] threatened dingoes are the only native predator but the natural balance of predation has been swamped by introduced species that have devastated populations feral cats are the greatest danger with more than 2 million of them covering 99.8 of the country the continued spread of humankind has also destroyed thousands of acres of native habitat land clearing has reached staggering totals 395 000 hectares in one year as the driest continent on the planet even the slightest change in climate can be disastrous as difficult as the future may seem there are some positives that are helping populations rebound a few lucky macropods have their habitats to thank for giving them refuge while quacker numbers have suffered major declines on the mainland isolated populations exist on two islands where they occur in relatively abundant numbers these natural sanctuaries are giving these charming petite wallabies a fighting chance where habitats are protected the macropods that call them home also flourish living in the wet tropics world heritage area means the only two tree kangaroo species in australia are safe and sound their populations being considered stable in a conservation success story the tamar wallaby has been brought back from extinction on mainland australia introduced to a small island off the north of new zealand in the 1860s as part of a private zoo the animals became so abundant they were considered a pest meanwhile the native population in australia had been wiped out through hunting and habitat loss the solution for both countries was obvious in 2003 tamars were successfully reintroduced in the wild to their original homelands in south australia with continued efforts by conservationists captive breeding programs and a government-funded cull of feral cats begun in 2017 the future of many lesser-known macropods will hopefully be brighter [Music] the wider world may have only been aware of kangaroos for a few hundred years but in that relatively short time these unusual marsupials have become firm favorites [Music] [Applause] [Music] [Applause] [Music] you

Channel: Free Documentary - Nature

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Rating: 4.7808218 out of 5

Keywords: Free Documentary, Documentaries, Full documentary, HD documentary, documentary - topic, documentary (tv genre), nature documentary, Free Documentary Nature, Wildlife, Wildlife Documentary, Wildlife Documentary 2020, Animals, Animal Documentary, Kangaroos, Kangaroo Documentary, Red Kangaroo, Australia, kangaroo, wild animals, kangaroo boxing, Documentary 2020, animal documentary 2020, Best Documentary, national park australia

Id: QDrSuudakBE

Length: 52min 0sec (3120 seconds)

Published: Fri Oct 23 2020