• A marsupial is a mammal that has a pouch to carry and raise its young.

• A pouch is like a pocket in the female's body.

• Like other mammals, the marsupials are covered with hair.

• Possums, Wallabies, Bandicoots, Kangaroos, Koalas, Sugar Gliders, Wombats and Tasmanian Devils are all examples of marsupials.

Possums Wallabies

Kangaroos Koalas Sugar Gliders

Wombats

Tasmanian Devils

Bandicoots

• Marsupials live in forests, plains, and deserts.

• There are about 260 different species of marsupials.

• All are native to Australia, Tasmania, and New Guinea except for the Possums, and the Shrew Possums of South America.

• Marsupial babies are born blind and helpless, with no hair and with small forearms that are barely developed.

              

                               

Baby kangaroo (Joey) in pouchBaby Possum

Baby Possum is born in pouchBaby Koala in pouch

• Thylacinus, the marsupial wolf is now extinct. The last individual was seen in Tasmania in the 1950s.

Thylacinus, an extinct marsupial wolf

• The biggest marsupial is the human-sized red kangaroo and the smallest marsupial is the Long-tailed Planigale, would fit in a person's hand.

• The Long-tailed Planigale, also known as Ingram's Planigale or the Northern Planigale, is the smallest of all marsupials, and one of the smallest of all mammals.

• The red kangaroo is the world's largest marsupial. Females have one baby at a time, which at birth is smaller than a cherry.

Long-tailed PlanigaleRed Kangaroo

A two week old Red Kangaroo

I got the information from:

• www.animals.nationalgeographic.com

• www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Main_Page

• www.wiki.answers.com• Encarta Premium Suite 2005

Made by Bernice Camilleri Form 1 Berlin