Among the abundance of outlandish Australian flora and fauna there is an interesting and pretty animal - couscous. It is less known than a kangaroo, echidna or platypus, but it is worth it to learn more about it.
Discovery History and Habitat
When Europeans first saw the animal, they did not immediately decide on its species. However, this can be said about almost every representative of the fauna of Australia. Animal couscous was no exception. The whites did not understand who it was, and at first decided that in front of them was a representative of a monkey tribe. Behavioral characteristics gave rise to further errors: couscous is often considered a kind of sloth. Meanwhile, a koala can be considered a close relative of the animal. Couscous is a type of possum and, like all of them, is marsupial.
It is also interesting that couscous is an animal (photo), which is not a native Australian. His original homeland was New Guinea. After the animal mastered Australia, the islands of Timor and Seram, the Bismarck archipelago and even the Solomon Islands.
Couscous animal: description
Couscous is thought to be the largest of all possums. This is only partially correct: in nature, there are approximately 20 species of animals. The largest animal grows to 120 cm and gains 9 kg in weight, while the dwarf weighs no more than 800 grams, and in size does not exceed 20 cm. But most varieties reach 45 cm in length, and their weight ranges between 4 and 6 kilograms.
Animal couscous has fluffy and thick fur, in shades ranging from pale yellowish to densely brown. Females are usually monophonic, males can flaunt spots and stripes. Tail animals have a long, very tenacious, almost always helical and always bare to half. The hairless part is covered with scales that prevent injuries when using the tail as the fifth limb.
The muzzle of couscous is short, the ears are small and well-rounded, the eyes are large, usually brown or black, although individuals with a blue or pink iris are found. The fingers on the “hands” are long and strong, equipped with sharp and also long claws - with them the animal couscous is held firmly when moving through trees. They are not superfluous in the extraction of food.
The average life span of couscous is 11 years.
Lifestyle
The whole appearance of the animal suggests that the animal couscous is a woody mammal, very rarely descending to the ground. Couscous is resting on the trees, there it is also looking for food for itself, even organizing shelters in their branches, equipping something like bird nests.
These marsupials are nocturnal animals. In the afternoon, couscous sleeps; even if for some reason he moves, he does it sluggishly, solely in order to find himself a secluded place to relax. Couscous by nature of their loner, do not stray in flocks, but also do not quarrel for the territory - their character is peaceful, calm and accommodating. In addition, they are easily tamed, which makes them pleasant pets among connoisseurs of exotic animals.
Dietary preferences
By nature, animal couscous is omnivorous, with some bias in plant foods. It feeds on fruits, leaves and other gifts of nature. However, on occasion he eagerly consumes insects, bird eggs, and if he is lucky - small birds and gaping lizards.
Marriage customs
Unlike many mammals, in breeding couscous is not limited by time: these animals do not have a rutting season. They are able to give offspring all year round. At the same time, couscous does not have stable pairs, since the animals, as already mentioned, are loners.
Pregnancy in the female proceeds quickly, most often it lasts only two weeks. 2-3 cubs are born, it is extremely rare to get a quadruple. Kids are with their mother for about six months, after which, gaining the ability to feed themselves, they leave her. Of the entire litter, only one cub most often survives.
Interesting fact
Not only that, couscous is an animal that is cute in appearance and pleasant in behavior. It has a mysterious property: received wounds are amazingly quickly healed. Moreover, even serious and deep damage, which for other animals could be deadly. No scientific explanation for this phenomenon has yet been found, but it helps the animal to survive, since the wound does not have time to become infected.
Enemies of the animal
In the natural habitat of the ancestral enemies, hunting specifically for couscous, does not exist. Young individuals can become the prey of a large snake or a large bird of prey. Moreover, from year to year the population of couscous is steadily declining. And the man is to blame. Firstly, it is reduced by constant deforestation, depriving animals of their habitats. Secondly, there is a hunt for couscous: beautiful and variedly colored fur makes them attractive to the fur industry. And the locals kill animals for their meat, which is considered a delicious delicacy. Biologists predict that literally in a decade, if no drastic measures are taken, couscous will remain only in zoos and reserves.