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Home , Common brushtail possum, Common wombat, Feathertail glider, Koala, Pademelon, Wombat

Marsupials Love and pouches

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P W T Wild Defenders • • • • N • N • Na C a C a C There are three groups of on earth today: turallyG turallyG turallyG • • placental mammals (e.g. cows, horses, humans) • (the echidna and ). HUG EE GE R R Marsupials are pouched mammals which give birth to T babies that are not fully developed (although some, • such as the numbat, do not have a ). There • N Na C a C Na C turallyG turallyG turallyG are over 330 and they are found naturally ONLY in , , South America and parts of North America.

EEN H SUPIA Some of our most well-loved and unique Australian GR O AR L U S belong to this group, including. E M S

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T • and (macropods)

• • N • • • a C Na C Na C turallyG turallyG turallyG • • possums and gliders • (Google me, I’m usually smiling for PPI the camera!). A NG TRONOM M S Y A Each species has evolved to live in balance with all the plants and other animals in their habitat. • • • • • N • N a C Na C at GC turallyG turallyG urally As you work through this booklet, you will discover some of ’s incredible marsupial animals, where they live, what they eat and how you can help them to stay strong and healthy in the wild. So, let’s get started! Collect them all cityofgoldcoast.com.au/naturallygc Spotlight on marsupials Profile: The ancestors of macropods all lived in the trees but millions of ago they evolved to live on the ground. The only tree Macropods dwelling macropod in Australia today is the tree , which lives in North Queensland.

Macropods are well known for their amazing ability to move by jumping. Their bodies are specially designed for this, with short front legs, powerful back legs, big back feet and long strong tails to give them balance.

Did you know that, in a single leap, some kangaroos can jump as high as 3 metres and as far as 7 metres?

Kangaroos often live in groups called a mob. These mobs are made of joeys, females and males. The largest male is the leader of the mob. This group of animals includes kangaroos, wallabies and . Most macropod species are nocturnal, which means that they : The larger kangaroo species are generally secure but many of are active only at night. The medium and larger species are often the smaller macropod species are threatened. crepuscular, spending hot days in the shade and grazing in the late afternoon and early morning. The musky -kangaroo is the Habitat: Just about everywhere in Australia! only truly diurnal species, active during the day. • Red kangaroos are found on flat open plains. • Grey kangaroos also live on plains but prefer scrubs and forests. • Wallaroos inhabit rocky outcrops or stony ground. • Rock-wallabies live among piles of boulders, rocky hills and cliffs. • Tree-kangaroos are found in mountainous of north Queensland. • Smaller species of wallabies and kangaroos live in a wide range of habitats. Fun fact Diet: Macropods are herbivorous. Large species feed mostly on grass. MACROPODS EVOLVED AROUND 16 MILLION Small macropods can eat a variety of vegetation, fruit, seeds and fungi. YEARS AGO FROM A POSSUM-LIKE ANCESTOR. Wombats

Profile: Wombats are nocturnal and spend their days sleeping in burrows. The burrows are very complex tunnel systems, which can be over 30 metres long and have many different entrances. In common with other species, they dig these out with their sharp, powerful claws and teeth, moving up to 1 metre of earth in a day.

Wombats have a pouch to rear their young. However, their pouch is different to most other marsupials - it faces backwards. This is to prevent any soil from getting in while they dig their burrows. That is smart !

The front teeth of the wombat resemble those of a . There are three species of wombat: the , the They continuously grow as they have adapted to gnawing on Northern hairy-nosed wombat and the closely related Southern tough vegetation. hairy-nosed wombat.

Conservation status: • Common wombat is considered to be secure. • Southern hairy-nosed wombat is listed as near-threatened. • Northern hairy-nosed wombat is one of the most critically endangered wildlife species on the planet.

Habitat: • Common wombat – temperate forests of south-eastern Australia. • Southern hairy-nosed wombat – semi-arid grasslands and woodland in , southern , and south-western . Fun fact WOMBATS HAVE A VERY LONG AND SLOW DIGESTIVE 2 2 • Northern hairy-nosed wombat – a 3 km range within the 32 km Epping Forest PROCESS, WHICH MEANS IT CAN TAKE OVER TWO National Park in Queensland. WEEKS FOR THEM TO GO TO THE TOILET AFTER EATING A MEAL. ONE VERY UNUSUAL THING ABOUT Diet: Wombats are herbivorous and their diet includes tough grasses, herbs, WOMBATS IS THAT THEY HAVE CUBE-SHAPED POO! and even bark. Possums

Profile: They are nocturnal and mainly rely on tree hollows for shelter. The is capable of building a type of nest called a drey, which is a bunch of sticks woven together in the branches of a tree.

Gliders are a special group of possum that have a piece of skin running from their wrists down to the ankles, which allows them to glide from tree to tree. Although bats are the only mammals capable of powered flight, gliders can travel through the air and can even change direction. The yellow-bellied glider is the largest species in this and can glide up to 150 metres in a single leap!

Some possums have very strong prehensile tails which they can use to grasp branches when climbing through the trees, looking for food. Possums love to eat the leaves, flowers and fruits of native trees but some consume insects and even birds’ eggs and chicks. Many gliders and some of the other small possum species rely on the nectar and of native plants.

There are 23 possum species in Australia, the most abundant being the common and the common ringtail possum.

Conservation status: Around one quarter of all possum species are threatened and the populations of many other species are declining, mainly because of habitat loss and predation by feral animals. Habitat: Possums are found in a variety of habitats all around Australia, including Fun fact woodland, shrubland, forest, , mangrove and forest. They THE LARGEST POSSUMS CAN WEIGH BETWEEN inhabit arid, semi-arid, temperate, and tropical regions, as well as lowlands and 4 AND 5 KG, SIMILAR TO A DOMESTIC . THE TINY mountainous areas. WEIGHS ONLY 13 GRAMS, Diet: Possums are mainly and their main diet includes the leaves, flowers, ABOUT THE SAME AS A AAA BATTERY. buds and fruits of native trees. Profile: The koala is a nocturnal specialist feeder, meaning it relies mainly on one food item for its survival and is active mostly at night.

Koalas have evolved to eat the leaves of eucalypt trees. These are highly toxic to most animals and contain very few nutrients, therefore many animals would not be able to eat them. Because of the low nutritional value of their food, koalas have evolved to digest their food very slowly. They also conserve energy by spending between 18 and 20 hours a day resting and sleeping in the fork of a tree. Koalas become more active at night, moving between the trees to forage for tender young leaves.

There are ONLY three animals that can survive mainly on eucalypts; the koala, There is only one surviving the and the ringtail possum. These animals have extremely long species of koala in Australia, digestive systems and little bugs (known as microbes) in their stomachs that although the fossils of several help them to break down their food. Koala joeys get these bugs by eating a related species have been found. gooey substance, known as pap, which their mum excretes from her bottom. Female koalas start breeding at around 3 or 4 years old and usually produce one joey each . However, some produce offspring only every 2 or 3 years, depending on their age and the quality of their habitat.

Conservation status: In Queensland koalas are listed as vulnerable. Koala joeys spend the first few months of life developing in their mother’s Habitat: In coastal areas of eastern and southern Australia, including Queensland, pouch. When they leave the pouch, they ride on their mother’s back. Juvenile New South Wales, and South Australia. koalas remain with their mothers for at least a year, until the next season’s joey appears outside the pouch. The older joey must then disperse and find its Diet: They survive exclusively on a diet of Eucalyptus leaves which are high in fibre own . and low in . Some of the main species in include , E. microcorys. E. robusta and E. propinqua.

Fun fact RESCUED KOALA JOEYS LOVED TO CUDDLE TEDDY WHILST BEING CARED FOR BY WILDLIFE CARERS. CHALLENGE 1: You can print me Find the marsupial off and colour me in! Complete the word search to discover the names of marsupials found in Australia. Some of these are common species that may even live in your neighbourhood, but others are less well-known. You can use your highlighter tool to mark out the words! Marsupials

Find the following words in the puzzle:

ANTECHINUS KANGAROO BANDICOOT KOALA NUMBAT BILBY PHASCOGALE DUNNART PLANIGALE WOMBAT GLIDER POSSUM CHALLENGE 2: 1. A MOTHER KOALA WITH 2. A JOEY TO RIDE ON THE A POUCH FOR THE JELLY MOTHER KOALA’S BACK. BEAN JOEY.

Make the life cycle of a koala Mother koala Older joey Pouch When marsupials are born, they can be as small as a grain of rice or no bigger than a jellybean. That is tiny! Marsupials are born blind, with no , no limbs and can look very strange. Even though this little joey cannot see, it does have a very good sense of direction. It begins a long journey, making its way through the mother’s fur to reach her pouch by moving its little stumps in a swimming-like action. This takes about 3 minutes...a big effort for a newborn!

Once the joey reaches the pouch, it attaches to its mother’s teat to drink her 3. ANOTHER ADULT KOALA 4. GUM LEAVES FOR nutritious milk. The joey will stay hidden for up to six and a half months until it feels IN A GUM TREE THE KOALAS TO EAT brave enough to venture out of the pouch.

Marsupial mothers will often care for two joeys at different stages of development Adult koala Gum tree at the same time; a young joey in the pouch and an older one close by. For example, a koala may have a small undeveloped joey in her pouch while a juvenile rides on her back.

These panels show the life cycle of a koala. Use modelling clay or play dough to make; 1) A mother koala – remember to include a pouch for her joey! 2) A jellybean joey. 3) An older joey to ride on the mother’s back. 6. CREATE THE LIFE CYCLE 4) Gum leaves for the mother koala and older joey to eat. You may also want to 5. A JELLY BEAN JOEY OF A KOALA AND UPLOAD include small branches to use as trees for the koalas to climb. A PHOTO OF IT BELOW

Jelly bean joey Head to the next page for instructions!

If you enjoyed this activity, why not research the life cycle of your favourite marsupial and create a model of its life cycle? CHALLENGE 3:

across 4. Tunnel-like structure made by wombats (6) Know your marsupials 5. Gooey substance which koala joeys eat to help with food (3) Test your knowledge of marsupials by completing the crossword. 6. The ancestors of all macropods lived here (5) If you’re stuck, clues to all of the questions can be found in the 8. Active during the day (7) Spotlight on Marsupials section. 10. Young kangaroo or other marsupial (4) 11. Rescued koala joeys love to cuddle these (7) 1 14. Active at dawn and dusk (11) 2 16. Active at night (9) 3 17. Type of nest built by the ringtail possum (4) 18. Group of kangaroos (3) 19. Type of possum with a thin sheet of skin which stretches between its forepaws and ankles (6) 4 5

6 down 1. An animal’s natural home or environment (7) 7 8 2. The group of animals that includes kangaroos and wallabies (8)

9 10 3. Conservation status of the koala (10) 5. Possum’s tail capable of grasping tree branches (10) 7. Smallest glider species (11) 11 12 9. Type of macropod that lives on rocky outcrops or stony ground (8) 12. Koalas feed mainly on the leaves of this type of tree (10) 13 14 15 13. Animal that feeds on plants (9) 15. Conservation status of the northern hairy-nosed wombat (10)

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Answers at the back

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19 CHALLENGE 4:

Design a poster ‘Watch out for Wildlife’ Native animals often become sick or injured as a direct result of human actions. Choose one or all of the following ways to keep wildlife safe and design a poster for display in your school or local community.

10 simple ways that we can all help to keep wildlife safe: • Drive safely on the roads and keep a lookout for wildlife. • Keep indoors and contained to a small area at night. • Plant local native trees. • Install nest boxes in your backyard. • Choose wildlife-friendly fencing and fruit tree protection. • Use alternatives to poisonous pest baits. • Avoid giving human food to wildlife. • Provide fresh, clean drinking water for wildlife during prolonged dry periods. • Avoid single-use plastic. • Dispose of rubbish responsibly.

If you find a sick or injured native animal always call your local wildlife hospital or rescue organisation for assistance.

Create a poster and upload a photo of it on the next page CHALLENGE 5: Make a rescue pouch

STEP 1 STEP 2 First, cut two pieces of To prevent the calico Make a fabric for the pouch, similar from fraying fold the to the shape on the left, and edges under as you then one rectangular piece sew it onto the pouch rescue pouch similar to the right (such as a front OR use an over A handmade fabric pouch helps wildlife carers to make a very big difference to the blank piece of calico). locker to seal the edges. life of an orphaned marsupial joey. Very young orphans are kept warm and safe in these pouches until they are old enough to live independently. A wallaby joey may need up to 80 progressively larger pouches during its time in care, so there’s always STEP 3 a demand for more. Use this simple pouch-making pattern to sew and decorate Sew the calico patch tot he front STEP 4 your special gift. of the pouch or the ‘good side’ (if Once the calico is attached, you haven’t already). Please note Please use natural fabrics only – old flannel pyjamas, cotton t-shirts, tracksuits, place the two pouch pieces the pouch must be attached to together, facing in and sew cotton, bamboo and hemp fabrics are great! Synthetics such as polar fleece, the lower half or the upper half as them together – almost all the polyesters and others, cannot be used. They are not breathable and can cause skin picture – to allow the pouch fabric way around as pictured. irritation to orphaned joeys. to be folded in half later. This pattern is designed to hide all seams. This is important to litte joeys who like STEP 6 to pick at threads whilst snuggled in their pouches. These can easily be ingested or Now you will be able to become tangled around little limbs. The rounded edges of the pouch, rather than pouch the top half of the square edges (like a pillowcase) make it much easier for joeys to flip around inside pouch into the bottom half the pouch and better mimic nature’s pouches. as pictures.

STEP 5 Recommended pouch sizes Through the gap you have left in the stitching, pull the GLIDERS BANDICOOTS & SMALL pouch right-side out. . 15cms wide x 30cms deep CARNIVOROUS MARSUPIALS 15cms wide x 30cms deep POSSUMS STEP 7 10cms wide x 20cms deep (unfurred) WALLABIES & KANGAROOS Close the gap in the stitching. 25cms wide x 45cms deep Your pouch is ready to be 15cms wide x 30cms deep (furred) decorated and become a warm, (for unfurred joeys) cosy home for an orphaned KOALAS 35cms wide x 60 cms deep native animal. YOU’RE DONE! 20cms wide x 40cms deep (for just furred joeys) Send completed pouches to your local 45cms wide x 70cms deep To add a message or picture to your pouch, use wildlife group or to Green Heroes (for fully furred joeys) permanent markers: coloured sharpie pens are ideal. PO BOX 19 Fingal Head NSW 2487. Just for fun! Marsupial facts crossword answers! TANGRAM KANGAROO

A tangram is a very old Chinese puzzle in the shape of a square. In the square there are seven shapes that can be rearranged into thousands of different figures. Copy the tangram, then cut out and rearrange the seven shapes of the tangram to form a kangaroo.

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