Wierd Marsupials
Created | Updated Mar 19, 2002
The marsupial is a specialised mammal that has reached the peak of its evolution in Australia. Most people think that marsupials are just cute and cuddly creatures. What is not commonly realised is that they have developed some rather unique strategies for dealing with the world.
Take the Koala. If you have spent any time watching a Koala you will know that they are not the most active creatures on earth. They like to spend all day sitting in trees, sleeping and munching on leaves. What you may not know is that if you look inside the Koalas skull, 40% of the space is taken up by mushy, fatty, tissue. You see the Koala, being basically lazy by nature, has worked out that it takes a lot of energy to run a brain. This means a lot of useless moving around in search of food just to feed your brain.
What is the solution? Simple, the Koala has shed 40% of its brain capacity. The remaining 60% is quite easy to maintain. All you have to do is sit around in a tree all day, sleeping and eating leaves. This suits Koalakind very well thank you very much and they seem quite happy with the substitution of a significant portion of their brain for the sake of lifestyle.
The Wombat is another case altogether. It is a ground dwelling, tunnel digging creature that looks a bit like a football on short legs. Some might describe the Wombat as “rubenesque” but really it’s just fat. While the Wombat is a vegetarian, it is not morally opposed to violence and is quite happy to bite any human that gives it grief. This kind of cranky attitude protects adult Wombats from most predators. However, baby Wombats are a favourite food for Dingoes and Foxes. These predators come inside Wombat burrows and try to run off with the babies.
Here is where the Wombat’s rotund figure comes into its own. If it comes across a Dingo or Fox in its burrow it turns around and then, using its rounded buttocks, crushes the skull of the hungry predator into the wall of the burrow. Death is painful but inevitable – crushed by a big fat Wombat but.
The moral of the story? Never underestimate a marsupial.
Take the Koala. If you have spent any time watching a Koala you will know that they are not the most active creatures on earth. They like to spend all day sitting in trees, sleeping and munching on leaves. What you may not know is that if you look inside the Koalas skull, 40% of the space is taken up by mushy, fatty, tissue. You see the Koala, being basically lazy by nature, has worked out that it takes a lot of energy to run a brain. This means a lot of useless moving around in search of food just to feed your brain.
What is the solution? Simple, the Koala has shed 40% of its brain capacity. The remaining 60% is quite easy to maintain. All you have to do is sit around in a tree all day, sleeping and eating leaves. This suits Koalakind very well thank you very much and they seem quite happy with the substitution of a significant portion of their brain for the sake of lifestyle.
The Wombat is another case altogether. It is a ground dwelling, tunnel digging creature that looks a bit like a football on short legs. Some might describe the Wombat as “rubenesque” but really it’s just fat. While the Wombat is a vegetarian, it is not morally opposed to violence and is quite happy to bite any human that gives it grief. This kind of cranky attitude protects adult Wombats from most predators. However, baby Wombats are a favourite food for Dingoes and Foxes. These predators come inside Wombat burrows and try to run off with the babies.
Here is where the Wombat’s rotund figure comes into its own. If it comes across a Dingo or Fox in its burrow it turns around and then, using its rounded buttocks, crushes the skull of the hungry predator into the wall of the burrow. Death is painful but inevitable – crushed by a big fat Wombat but.
The moral of the story? Never underestimate a marsupial.
