If you didn’t know, marsupials are the kind of animals that carry their young in a pouch somewhere on their body. Thought only kangaroo’s did that? You were wrong, very wrong. Here, we’ve comprised a list of our favourite marsupials (both extinct and alive) from around the globe!
Shrew opossum
Habitat: South America
Fun Fact: They’re carnivores who use their whiskers to locate prey.
Bilby
Habitat: Australia
Fun Fact: They’re nocturnal omnivores who rarely need to drink water because they typically stay hydrated through their diet.
Pig-footed Bandicoot
Habitat: Was the plains of Austrailia, but now they’re presumably extinct
Fun Fact: Typically the size of a kitten, they had functioning toes and hoof-like nails, similar to a pig or deer.
Wallaby
Habitat: Australia
Fun Fact: Primarily located in Australia, some also live in Hawaii, New Guinea, New Zealand, and a few other spots.
Eastern Bettong a.k.a “Rat Kangaroo”
Habitat: Australia
Fun Fact: Their biggest threat to extinction is the red fox.
Marsupial mole
Habitat: Western Australia
Fun Fact: Has absolutely no eyes, but doesn’t really need them.
Monito del Monte (Spanish for “Little Mountain Monkey)
Habitat: Chile and Argentina
Fun Fact: It’s body can grow to be 11-12.5cm long.
Numbat
Habitat: Western Australia
Fun Fact: They feed on an exclusive diet of termites.
Tasmanian devil
Habitat: Tasmania, Australia
Fun Fact: They’re the largest carnivorous marsupial, known mainly for their loud screeches, pungent smell, and ferocious eating habits.
Thylacine a.k.a Tasmanian Tiger
Habitat: Now extinct, used to reside in Australia.
Fun Fact: The last known Thylacine died in 1933 and was proclaimed extinct after 50 years of no sightings. Some, including Ted Turner, have offered rewards for proof of its existence, but so far, there haven’t been any substantial sightings.