Posts Tagged marsupials

possum, Lentil as Anything restaurant,
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. April 15, 2011.

Common Name: Opossum
Nicknames: Possum, Oppossum
Taphonomy: Animalia; Chordata; Mammalia; Marsupialia; Didelphimorphia; Didelphidae; various species: (Virginia Opossum) “Didelphis virginiana”. Bishop’s Slender Opossum (Marmosops bishopi); Narrow-headed Slender Opossum (Marmosops cracens); Creighton’s slender opossum Marmosops creightoni; Dorothys’ Slender Opossum (Marmosops dorothea); Dusky Slender Opossum (Marmosops fuscatus); Handley’s Slender Opossum (Marmosops handleyi); Tschudi’s Slender Opossum (Marmosops impavidus); Gray Slender Opossum (Marmosops incanus); Panama Slender Opossum (Marmosops invictus); Junin Slender Opossum (Marmosops juninensis); Neblina Slender Opossum (Marmosops neblina); White-bellied Slender Opossum (Marmosops noctivagus); Delicate Slender Opossum (Marmosops parvidens); Brazilian Slender Opossum (Marmosops paulensis); Pinheiro’s Slender Opossum (Marmosops pinheiroi); Genus Metachirus: Brown Four-eyed Opossum (Metachirus myosuros); Genus Micoureus: Alston’s Mouse Opossum (Micoureus alstoni); White-bellied Woolly Mouse Opossum (Micoureus constantiae); Woolly Mouse Opossum (Micoureus demerarae); Tate’s Woolly Mouse Opossum (Micoureus paraguayanus); Little Woolly Mouse Opossum (Micoureus phaeus); Bare-tailed Woolly Mouse Opossum (Micoureus regina); and hundreds of others.

Age on planet: Evidence for existence from the Late Cretaceous to present day era (as of this writing 2011).

Range:

Opossums were first named after the Virginia species as “opossum” in 1610 after the proto-Algonquian aposoum that means “white dog” or “white beast”, classifying a species of the largest order of marsupials known in the western Hemisphere. They range from small to medium size from the visual range of a small mouse to a large house cat. Semi-arboreal, with long snouts, narrow braincase, prominent sagittal crest, and an omnivore appetite. Dental formula is lower 4, 1, 3, 4 and upper as 5, 1, 3, 4 with very small incisors, tricuspid molars, and large canines. Feet are flat on the ground with hind feet consisting of an opossable digit with no claw. Similar evolutionary history as New World monkeys, they have prehensile tails. Only young babies will dangle temporarily from trees by their tails, not found characteristic in adults. All will use the tail as a brace and fifth limb while climbing or as a grip to grab leaves and nesting material. As a marsupial, they possess pouches on the female sex. The pouch contains the divided uterus and marsupium. The young gestate from 12-14 days and after birth the newborn has to find their own way into the marsupium to nurse off the teat. Males tend to be heavier, larger, and with larger canines than the female sex of course with no pouch. The male has a bifurcated penis and the female has a bifurcated vagina – the sperm forms conjugate pairs before fertilization to help ensure survival of its genotypical spermatozoa. This assists the poly-process when females mate with multiple males and increases motility and enhancement of fertilization success. However, many young fail to attach to the teat in the marsupium so there is a large birth-loss. Upwards of 13 young can attach to the teat at a time weaning from 70-125 days leading to leaving the pouch. An oppossum life span is usually only 2-4 years. Their immune system is extremely robust with partial or total immunity to many poisonous snakes like pit vipers, rattlesnakes, and cottonmouths. While accused of being carriers for rabies, they are eight times less likely to have rabies than wild dogs, and only 1 out of 800 are infected with said virus. Opossums have a broad and diverse diet but primarily carrion or roadkill, insects, frogs, birds, earthworms, small mammals, and snakes. They also eat apples, clementines, persimmons, and avocados. They are also known to eat human waste, garbage, and pet food. As they scavange for roadkill, they often become roadkill, and known to be nomadic, solitary creatures staying local in an area as long as food and water is available, moving on to the next location when resources run dry. Opossums live in abandoned ready-made burrows, sometimes with family units, or under houses, as too lazy to put effort in making their own home. Opossums are nocturnal, hunting in the dark, and are semi-blind. When threatened they will “play dead”, lips drawn back, teeth bared, foamed saliva around mouth, eyes half-closed or closed, and anal glands excreting a foul-smelling fluid mimicking the smell, and stiff curled body carrying an appearance of a sick or dead animal for 40 minutes – 4 hours. While threatened, if not playing dead, they will growl deeply raising pitch. Males make a clicking “smack” noise from side of their mouths while searching for a mate. When separated, the young often make a sneezing noise to signal their mother.

Meat/Predators: Humans are the opossums biggest predator. Often hunted and consumed in the United States in the backwoods. Common as well in Dominica and Trinidad. Meat is often smoked then stewed. Meat is light and fine-grained but must have the musk glands removed during preparation. Often used as a substitute for chicken and rabbit meat.

Medicinal: Mexican common folk use the opossum tail as a dietary supplement to improve fertility. Possum Grease or Opossum oil is used as a chest rub and a carrier for arthritis as a topical salve since it is high in essential fatty acids.

possum, Lentil as Anything restaurant,
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. April 15, 2011.

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Wombat
Common Wombat (Vombatus ursinus)
Northern Hairy-nosed Wombat or Yaminon (Lasiorhinus krefftii)
Southern Hairy-nosed Wombat (Lasiorhinus latifrons)

One of the unique creatures in Australia next to the Kangaroo is the “Wombat”. A wombat, like the Kangaroo, is a marsupial. It is a large brained mammal that has four short legs with a short nubby tail. It has a similiar appearance to a teddy bear. They are found in southeastern Australia and Tasmania living in the forested mountainous regions and the heathlands. Wombats have sharp rodent-like teeth and powerful claws that they use to burrow into the ground. As a marsupial, they have a backwards-facing pouch that is un-affected due to its orientation when digging/burrowing in the ground. Females give birth to one child in the spring and has a 20-21 day gestation period. The youth leave the pouch after 6-7 months and are completely weaned by 15 months. Wombats sexually mature by 18 months. Wombats tend to be mainly active at night or during cool overcast days so are not often seen during daylight. They have a herbivore diet consisting of herbs, plants, grasses, sedges, bark, and roots. Their fur ranges in color from a light sandy or dark brown to grey or black. Most range from 1 meter in length and weighing from 44-77 lbs. Their metabolism is very slow and finishes its digestion from 8-14 days allowing for survival in arid regions. They are very slow moving but when threatened can run up to 25 mph upwards of 90 seconds at a time. They will defend their burrows and attack aggressively when threatened. They usually occupy an area of upwards to 57 acres for their living range. Its donkey-like hind kicks are destructive as are its claws and bites. They have been known to charge humans, break bones, bite, claw, and bowl them over. There are three species of Wombat: The Common Wombat, Northern Hairy-nosed Wombat, and Southern Hairy-nosed Wombat. Wombats are a protective species as humanity has severely damaged its populations through the sarcoptic mite or mange that came to Australia from human activity leading to a long slow painful death. They are also dying from a fungal lung disease that has no cure brought in from farming activity. In addition humans are destroying their habitats as water sources and grazing areas are fenced into farms. Octoboer 22nd is Wombat Observation Day.

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Kangaroo

Taxonomy: Animalia; Chordata; Mammalia; Marsupialia; Diprotodontia; Macropodidae; Macropus; Macropus and Osphranter

Common Names: Kangaroo, gangurru, boomers, jacks, old men, bucks, does, flyers, jills, joeys, roos

Localities: Native to Australia. Some relatives in New Guinea.

Description:

One of the unique critters of Australia, A marsupial that is native to the Down Under and an infamous animal/symbol of Australia. Kangaroos belong to the Macropodidae family and consists of numerous species. The name comes from the Guugu Yimithirr word “gangurru” that is used by the Aboriginee for “Grey Kangaroos”. The term “kangaroo” was first used by Captain James Cook on the banks of the Endeavor River near “Cooktown” where the HM Bark Endeavor was beached on the Great Barrier Reef for seven weeks early August 1770. Some claim that Cook asked a aboriginee the name of this intriguing animals and the individual said “Kangaroo” which was interpreted through time to mean “I don’t understand you” but has since been proven to be a false myth according to linguist John Haviland in the 70′s. The males are called “boomers”, “jacks”, “old men”, and “bucks” while the females are called “does”, “flyers”, or “jills” and the infants are called “joeys”. When grouped together they are called a “mob”, “court”, or “troop” of kangaroo. They are often nicknamed “roos”. A mammal that is found throughout Australia it has a few related species that can be found in New Guinea as well, some of which are endangered. This amazing animal is important and endemic to Australia and its culture. They have been described by many Europeans as strange creatures that stand upright like humans, have a deer head without antlers, but hop around like frogs. They originally were seen as a myth until Australia became inhabited by Westerners who verified their existence. The first Kangaroo to be shot by a Westerner and exhibited to European culture was by one of Captain Cook’s officer’s by the name of John Gore in 1770. The Kangaroo’s iconography can be found on the currency, coat of Arms, emblems, and airlines. There are four main species: The Red Kangaroo (Macropus rufus) which is the largest existing marsupial in the world); The Eastern Gray Kangaroo (Macropus giganteus); The Western Gray Kangaroo (Macropus fuliginosus); and the Antilopine Kangaroo (Macropus antilopinus). The animla has large powerful hind legs adapted for leaping with a long tail for balance (only mammal known to use hopping for locomotion and clocked upwards of 20-25 to a max of 70 km/hour). The females of the species have a marsupial “marsupium” which is a pouch where the infants finish their post-natal development. Their average life span is 6 years in the wild and 20 years under captivity. They are an herbivore feasting primarily on grasses or shrubs yet unlike other herbivores do not release methane gas. Some smaller species feast on hypogeal fungi. A good percentage of them are nocturnal. They are known to have complex social structures and interactions with one another such as touching and sniffing one another. They usually mate in pairs. Female kangaroos are usually pregnant in permanence except the day of birth but can “freeze” the development of an embroyo until the current infant is ready to leave the pouch. The egg descends from the ovary to the uterus where it is fertilized and developes into a neonate that emerges within 33 days, with one young born at a time where it gestates in the pouch for upwards of 190-235 days until it can leave the pouch. Before copulation the male monitors the female, sniffs her urine, follows her every move, approaches her slowly and if not scaring the female will paw, lick, and scratch at her before engaging copulation. After a long intercourse and consort pairing that can take several days, the male moves on to another female. Male aggression between one another occurs frequently and usually results in “boxing” matches. These fights can be brief or long and ritualized usually involving fighting over a woman or a feeding/drinking spot. Sometimes punching, grabbing of the opponent’s neck, locking of forearms, and wrestling will take place until one of them breaks off and retreats from the fight. Their sharp hindlegs can dis-embowel an opponent. Oddly, after the fight, the males often scratch and groom one another. They are often shy and curious about humans. During a disease in 2004 that was similar to “rabies”, there were a few unprovoked attacks on humans by kangaroos. In 2003, an Eastern Grey kangaroo alerted a farmer’s family to his location after he was injured by a fallen tree branch. This Kangaroo received a National Animal Valor award in 2004 for this feat. Outside of humans and dingos, Kangaroos have few predators still alive. Sometimes foxes, dogs, and feral cats can threaten kangaroos. They were once hunted by the (now extinct) thylacine, marsupial lion, Megalania, and the Wonambi. Kangaroos are a menace to vehicles especially at night similiar to incidents in North America with “Deer” or “antelope”. They become dazzled by the headlights and car noises often causing them to leap out in front of the travelling vehicle causing a severe impact that can destroy small vehicles and damage sufficiently larger ones. Kangaroos that are hit along the roadside as “road kill” have their pouches checked for “joeys” and often a large spray-painted red “X” is put on the kangaroo to denote that the pouch has been checked.

Uses:
Kangaroo is used for hide, leather, fur, cooking, and meat. Kangaroos are not farmed for meat, but are hunted for meat, hides, sport, and to regulate grazing lands. The meat of the kangaroo has numerous health and environmental benefits over traditional meats and described as having a stronger wild meat flavor.

Culinary:
See our culinary and article about Kangaroo Meat here: http://www.technogypsie.com/reviews/?p=2218.

Medicinal:
The tender meat is very high in protein and low in fat (less than 2%), has a very high concentration of conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) which is well known to be anti-carcinogenic and anti-diabetes, reduces obesity, and atherosclerosis.

Folklore and Magical Uses:
Traditionally it was used by the Aboriginees for meat, bone, and tendons. The scrotum was sometimes stuffed as a ball for the football game of “marngrook”.

Article/research by Thomas Baurley, Leaf McGowan, Technogypsie.com – August 2011.

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