The Little-Known Birth Process of Kangaroos: Facts and Video!
Kangaroos are fascinating marsupials, known for their unique reproductive process. Contrary to popular beliefs, kangaroos do not give birth in the pouch. This article explores the intriguing journey of a newborn joey from birth to its first hop.
Kangaroos give birth by moving into a specific position and thoroughly cleaning their pouch and belly area. Once the newborn joey emerges from the birth canal, it must climb independently into the pouch and attach to a teat. Despite being blind and furless at birth, the tiny joey, measuring just 2.5 cm (1 in) and weighing 1 gram (0.03 oz), manages to survive and thrive in this protected environment.
Preparation: Setting the Stage for Birth
Kangaroos do not give birth without meticulous preparations. A few hours before giving birth, the mother intensifies her grooming routine, cleaning the pouch and the area around the birth canal. This ensures a clean and safe environment for the newborn joey, reducing the risk of infection.
Birth preparations start a few hours before giving birth to a young. An imminent birth is especially recognizable by the constant grooming. The kangaroo cleans the pouch and the area around the opening of the birth canal.
The mother kangaroo must keep her pouch clean to provide a safe and hygienic environment for the newborn during its first months of life. Watch this video to see how a kangaroo meticulously cleans her pouch. In the hours leading up to birth, the mother engages in thorough grooming, focusing on her pouch and the surrounding area. This behavior not only ensures a clean and safe space for the joey, reducing the risk of infection, but it also stimulates the pouch, preparing it for the joey's arrival. Additionally, the mother’s constant licking may serve as a guide, helping the newborn find its way into the pouch.
The picture below illustrates the birth canal and the pouch opening:
The Birth Process: A Quick Arrival
The actual birth happens very quickly, lasting only a few seconds. In the birth position, the mother intensifies her cleaning until the newborn joey pops out of the birth canal. The joey must then climb independently from the birth canal to the pouch. Despite being blind and furless, the tiny joey, measuring just 2.5 cm (1 in) and weighing 1 gram (0.03 oz), manages to make its way to the pouch and attach to a teat.
The newborn kangaroo emerges incredibly small and helpless. All marsupials, including kangaroos, give birth after a very short gestation period. In comparison, a koala joey is typically measuring about 2 centimeters (0.8 inches) in length and weighing around 0.5 grams (0.02 ounces)!
Post-Birth: Climbing to Safety
After about a month of development, the fetus leaves the uterus and emerges from the mother's body, wrapped in the amnion, through the birth canal. The mother often frees the young by intensely licking the amnion. If not, the young animal can pierce the barrier using the sharp claws on its well-developed front paws.
After birth, the newborn joey must quickly find its way into its mother's pouch. This journey, from the birth canal to the pouch, takes about 1.5 to 4 minutes. The mother’s role is largely passive during this time, but she continues to clean the area around the birth canal and the joey. After birth, fluid may continue to leak from the birth canal for some time.
Meanwhile, the mother cleans her fur and the opening of the birth canal. However, she doesn't lick the path to the pouch; instead, she licks the newborn to remove all traces. Even after the baby kangaroo reaches the pouch, the mother stays in the birthing position and continues to clean her fur.
Initially, the fetus is still connected to the yolk sac. However, during climbing into the pouch, this connection is separated. Sometimes this connection is also separated by the mother. Most newborns successfully make their way into the pouch.
This is what a kangaroo looks like shortly after birth:
The newborn kangaroo is incredibly fragile and cannot survive without its mother. It must quickly find its way into its mother's pouch.
After birth, the animal is blind, without fur, and has legs that are only small stumps. It relies on its sense of smell and well-developed inner ear for orientation. The animal uses its stronger front paws with sharp claws to climb into the pouch.
Life in the Pouch: Growing and Developing
Most of a joey's physical development happens inside the mother's pouch. In this protected space, the joey grows from a tiny 1 gram at birth to about 4 kilograms by the time it leaves the pouch. The joey's fur begins to grow a few weeks before its first emergence, typically around 6-7 months old. During this period, joeys are often referred to as "pinkies."
The fur only starts to grow a few weeks before the joey leaves the pouch for the first time. This is usually when the joey is between 6 - 7 months old. Until then, Joeys are also called "pinkies".
Young kangaroos depend on their mother for nearly two years, although they leave the pouch much earlier to make room for a new baby kangaroo.
Conclusion
The birth process of a kangaroo is a remarkable journey of instinct and adaptation. From meticulous preparations to the rapid birth and the joey's climb to safety, each step showcases the wonders of marsupial reproduction.
