Difference between revisions of "Kangaroo"
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| − | + | {{Taxonomy | |
| − | + | |name=Kangaroo | |
| − | + | |image=Redkangaroo1.png | |
| − | + | |caption= | |
| − | == | + | |superkingdom= |
| − | + | |kingdom= Animalia | |
| − | + | |subkingdom= | |
| − | + | |superphylum= | |
| − | + | |phylum=Chordata | |
| − | + | |subphylum= | |
| − | == | + | |infraphylum= |
| − | [[ | + | |microphylum= |
| − | + | |superdivision= | |
| − | + | |division= | |
| − | [[ | + | |subdivision= |
| − | + | |superclass= | |
| − | == | + | |class=Mammalia |
| − | + | |subclass=Marsupialia | |
| − | + | |infraclass= | |
| − | [[ | + | |superorder= |
| + | |order=Diprotodontia | ||
| + | |suborder=Macropodiformes | ||
| + | |infraorder= | ||
| + | |superfamily= | ||
| + | |family=Macropodidae | ||
| + | |subfamily= | ||
| + | |supertribe= | ||
| + | |tribe= | ||
| + | |subtribe= | ||
| + | |genera= | ||
| + | |genus=Macropus | ||
| + | |subgenus= | ||
| + | |species= | ||
| + | |binomialname= | ||
| + | |sub= | ||
| + | |alt= | ||
| + | }} | ||
| + | '''Kangaroos''' are the largest [[marsupial]]s alive today. Excluding specimens sent overseas, they are only found on the continent of [[Australia]] apart from some species in some areas of [[Papua New Guinea]]<ref>[http://www.dfat.gov.au/facts/kangaroos.html Australia's kangaroos], Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.</ref>. There are at least sixty-nine [[species]] of kangaroo <ref name="kangbio">[http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/trade-use/wild-harvest/kangaroo/biology.html "Kangaroo Biology"], Australian Government</ref>, which include [[wallabies]] and tree-kangaroos. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ==Description== | ||
| + | |||
| + | Kangaroos have large ears on top of their small heads, a long snout, and short arms with clawed fingers. Their legs are strong, powerful, and are made for leaping. Their feet have four toes at the end of elongated metatarsi that they rest on when standing. They also have a powerful, thick tail that is used as support when standing, a third-leg when walking slowly, and for counterbalance while leaping. Like all Marsupials, female kangaroos have a pouch on their stomachs in which they carry their young. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ===Diet=== | ||
| + | |||
| + | Kangaroos are [[herbivore]]s, eating grass, roots, and shrubs. They have a chambered stomach similar to [[sheep]] and [[cattle]]. They are able to regurgitate their food, chew it again as [[cud]], and then swallow it for digestion. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ===Social Order=== | ||
| + | |||
| + | Kangaroos travel in [[mob | mobs]] of about ten or more males and females. The leader of the mob, called a "boomer", is a male determined by age and size. The boomer has access to females in his mob for mating and will wander around the mob intimidating any other males who try to mate with his harem. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ===Reproduction=== | ||
| + | |||
| + | Female kangaroos usually only have one baby kangaroo (called a "joey") at a time. The newborn joey weighs as little as 0.03 ounces when first born, after which it crawls into its mothers pouch where it will nurse, grow, and develop. Red Kangaroo joeys will stay in their mothers pouch for about eight months and Grey Kangaroo joeys stay in there for about one year. | ||
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| + | |||
| + | |||
| + | ==Origins== | ||
| + | |||
| + | ===Creationism=== | ||
| + | Consistent with their view that the fossil record as a whole does not support the evolutionary position<ref>[http://www.answersingenesis.org/home/area/faq/fossils.asp "Fossils Questions and Answers"], Answers In Genesis</ref><ref>[http://members.iinet.net.au/~sejones/fsslrcrd.html Creation/Evolution Quotes: Fossil Record]</ref>, creationists state that there is a lack of transitional fossils showing an evolutionary origin of kangaroos. Rebecca Driver writes: | ||
| + | |||
| + | {{QuoteBox|The Macropod family is alleged to have evolved from either the Phalangeridae (possums) or Burramyidae (pygmy-possums)...<br />However, there are no fossils of animals which appear to be intermediate between possums and kangaroos. ''Wabularoo naughtoni'', supposed ancestor of all the macropods, was clearly a kangaroo (it greatly resembles the potoroos which dwell in Victoria’s forests). If modern kangaroos really did come from it, all this shows is the same as we see happening today, namely that kangaroos come from kangaroos, "after their kind." <ref>Driver, Rebecca, [http://www.creationontheweb.com/content/view/755/ Kangaroos: God's amazing craftsmanship], ''Creation'' 20(3):28–31, June 1998.</ref>}} | ||
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| + | According to the [[origins theory]] model used by [[young earth creation scientists]], modern kangaroos are the descendants of the two founding members of the modern kangaroo baramin that were taken aboard [[Noah's Ark]] prior to the [[Great Flood]]. It has not yet been determined by [[baraminology | baraminologists]] whether kangaroos form a [[holobaramin]] with the [[wallaby]], [[tree-kangaroo]], [[wallaroo]], [[pademelon]] and [[quokka]], or if all these species are in fact [[Baraminology|apobaramin]]ic or [[Baraminology|polybaramin]]ic. | ||
| + | |||
| + | After the Flood, these kangaroos, bred from the Ark passengers, migrated to Australia. There is debate whether this migration happened over land<ref name="cab17">[http://www.creationontheweb.com/images/pdfs/cabook/chapter17.pdf "How did animals get from the Ark to places such as Australia"], Chapter 17, of ''The Creation Answers Book'', by Don Batten (Ed.)</ref> with lower sea levels during the post-flood [[ice age]], or before the super-continent of [[Pangea]] broke apart.<ref>[http://www.apologeticspress.org/articles/2808 "Pangea and the Flood"], Apologetics Press</ref> | ||
| + | |||
| + | The idea that God simply generated kangaroos into existence there is considered by most creation researchers to be contra-Biblical. | ||
| + | |||
| + | ===Evolution=== | ||
| + | The [[Evolution|evolutionary]] view is that kangaroos and other marsupials evolved from a common marsupial ancestor which lived hundreds of millions of years ago.<ref>[http://www.accessexcellence.org/AE/AEPC/WWC/1995/australia.html "Australian Mammals: Evolutionary Development as a Result of Geographic Isolation"]</ref> | ||
| + | |||
| + | ===Dreamtime=== | ||
| + | Some [[Australian Aborigines]] believe that kangaroos were sung into existence by their ancestors during the [[Dreamtime]].<ref>[http://www.painsley.org.uk/RE/signposts/y8/1-1creationandenvironment/c-abor.htm "An Aborigine Creation Story"]</ref> | ||
| + | |||
| + | == External Links == | ||
| + | *[http://www.exzooberance.com/virtual%20zoo/they%20walk/kangaroo/kangaroo.htm Kangaroo facts] | ||
| + | *[http://www.christiananswers.net/kids/kangaroos.html Answers About Kangaroos] | ||
| + | *[http://www.answersingenesis.org/home/area/faq/migration.asp How did animals get from the Ark to places such as Australia?] | ||
| + | |||
| + | == References == | ||
| + | {{reflist|2}} | ||
| + | |||
| + | [[Category:Marsupials]] | ||
| + | [[Category:Australia]] | ||
Revision as of 21:39, November 21, 2008
| Kangaroo | |
|---|---|
| |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom Information | |
| Kingdom | Animalia |
| Phylum Information | |
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class Information | |
| Class | Mammalia |
| Sub-class | Marsupialia |
| Order Information | |
| Order | Diprotodontia |
| Sub-order | Macropodiformes |
| Family Information | |
| Family | Macropodidae |
| Genus Information | |
| Genus | Macropus |
| Population statistics | |
Kangaroos are the largest marsupials alive today. Excluding specimens sent overseas, they are only found on the continent of Australia apart from some species in some areas of Papua New Guinea[1]. There are at least sixty-nine species of kangaroo [2], which include wallabies and tree-kangaroos.
Contents
Description
Kangaroos have large ears on top of their small heads, a long snout, and short arms with clawed fingers. Their legs are strong, powerful, and are made for leaping. Their feet have four toes at the end of elongated metatarsi that they rest on when standing. They also have a powerful, thick tail that is used as support when standing, a third-leg when walking slowly, and for counterbalance while leaping. Like all Marsupials, female kangaroos have a pouch on their stomachs in which they carry their young.
Diet
Kangaroos are herbivores, eating grass, roots, and shrubs. They have a chambered stomach similar to sheep and cattle. They are able to regurgitate their food, chew it again as cud, and then swallow it for digestion.
Social Order
Kangaroos travel in mobs of about ten or more males and females. The leader of the mob, called a "boomer", is a male determined by age and size. The boomer has access to females in his mob for mating and will wander around the mob intimidating any other males who try to mate with his harem.
Reproduction
Female kangaroos usually only have one baby kangaroo (called a "joey") at a time. The newborn joey weighs as little as 0.03 ounces when first born, after which it crawls into its mothers pouch where it will nurse, grow, and develop. Red Kangaroo joeys will stay in their mothers pouch for about eight months and Grey Kangaroo joeys stay in there for about one year.
Origins
Creationism
Consistent with their view that the fossil record as a whole does not support the evolutionary position[3][4], creationists state that there is a lack of transitional fossils showing an evolutionary origin of kangaroos. Rebecca Driver writes:
The Macropod family is alleged to have evolved from either the Phalangeridae (possums) or Burramyidae (pygmy-possums)...
However, there are no fossils of animals which appear to be intermediate between possums and kangaroos. Wabularoo naughtoni, supposed ancestor of all the macropods, was clearly a kangaroo (it greatly resembles the potoroos which dwell in Victoria’s forests). If modern kangaroos really did come from it, all this shows is the same as we see happening today, namely that kangaroos come from kangaroos, "after their kind." [5]
According to the origins theory model used by young earth creation scientists, modern kangaroos are the descendants of the two founding members of the modern kangaroo baramin that were taken aboard Noah's Ark prior to the Great Flood. It has not yet been determined by baraminologists whether kangaroos form a holobaramin with the wallaby, tree-kangaroo, wallaroo, pademelon and quokka, or if all these species are in fact apobaraminic or polybaraminic.
After the Flood, these kangaroos, bred from the Ark passengers, migrated to Australia. There is debate whether this migration happened over land[6] with lower sea levels during the post-flood ice age, or before the super-continent of Pangea broke apart.[7]
The idea that God simply generated kangaroos into existence there is considered by most creation researchers to be contra-Biblical.
Evolution
The evolutionary view is that kangaroos and other marsupials evolved from a common marsupial ancestor which lived hundreds of millions of years ago.[8]
Dreamtime
Some Australian Aborigines believe that kangaroos were sung into existence by their ancestors during the Dreamtime.[9]
External Links
- Kangaroo facts
- Answers About Kangaroos
- How did animals get from the Ark to places such as Australia?
References
- ↑ Australia's kangaroos, Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade.
- ↑ "Kangaroo Biology", Australian Government
- ↑ "Fossils Questions and Answers", Answers In Genesis
- ↑ Creation/Evolution Quotes: Fossil Record
- ↑ Driver, Rebecca, Kangaroos: God's amazing craftsmanship, Creation 20(3):28–31, June 1998.
- ↑ "How did animals get from the Ark to places such as Australia", Chapter 17, of The Creation Answers Book, by Don Batten (Ed.)
- ↑ "Pangea and the Flood", Apologetics Press
- ↑ "Australian Mammals: Evolutionary Development as a Result of Geographic Isolation"
- ↑ "An Aborigine Creation Story"
