Marsupials

Marsupials are a special group of mammals. Their babies are born very tiny and not fully developed. The babies crawl into a pouch on their mother's belly. Inside the pouch, they drink milk and grow until they are big enough to come out.

Life in the Pouch

A newborn kangaroo is smaller than a cherry! It crawls through its mother's fur to reach the pouch. Inside, the baby attaches to a milk source and keeps growing. Baby kangaroos, called joeys, stay in the pouch for about six months.

Where Marsupials Live

Most marsupials live in Australia. Kangaroos, koalas, and wombats are all Australian marsupials. Some marsupials live in South and Central America, like the opossum. The Virginia opossum is the only marsupial found in North America.

Fun Facts

• A newborn kangaroo is about the size of a jelly bean.
• Koalas sleep up to 22 hours a day to save energy from their low-nutrition diet.
• The Virginia opossum is the only marsupial in North America.

Did You Know?

The opossum is famous for 'playing dead' when it is scared. It falls over, goes stiff, and even sticks out its tongue to trick predators into leaving it alone!