I have been watching a series of documentaries about Australia. There are 250 species of marsupials on the continent and nearly half that many in South America. Here in North America, we have only one marsupial – the opossum. Scientists are unsure as to why Australia has so many marsupials while other parts of the world have none. We are all familiar with the kangaroo and wallaby, but there are numerous other members of this unique group of mammals, including koalas, and smaller, mice sized species. Australia is also home to the duck-billed platypus, a mammal that lays eggs. In fact, Australia is full of mammals and birds that those of us on the other side of the world have never seen.
I have always been fascinated by marsupials, I think because it appeals to my maternal instincts. Having a safe pocket where her baby can snuggle is something very appealing to a devoted mother. Human mothers have designed various means of keeping their infants close to them. The mothers of Mozambique, in Africa, wrap their babies in a large cloth which is tied over their shoulder. Other African cultures use a lightweight wrap to tie their child to their back. Asian mothers have created a back carrier with shoulder straps, secured around the waist. Several Indian tribes have made cradle boards which are like a small canoe with a strap that goes over their shoulder. When my own babies were born, I used a Snugli® to achieve that sense of safety. Several styles have come on the market since then. It comes down to comfort and each mother’s personal preference. Besides keeping their babies close to their bodies, providing safety and warmth, baby carriers allow for the mother’s arms and hands to be free.
Many non-marsupial mammals and birds have devised ways to keep their young nearby. Koala babies, once having left their pouch, cling to their mother’s back. Many of our closest relatives, like gorillas, orangutans, and chimpanzees provide a way for their young to be carried piggyback. Mute swans often carry their cygnets on their back with their wings held high to hide them from predators. When I was a young mother, I often wished that I was a marsupial; but then once we have passed our child bearing age, we might not have much use for a pouch – except perhaps to carry groceries.
You would think that since the opossum is the only marsupial here in North America, we would want to protect it. Unfortunately, out here in the country, people have a bad habit of running over them – sometimes purposely – and sometimes taking their hatred out on these poor animals by simply shooting them. If the opossum they kill has babies in her pouch, it is more like mass murder. Sometimes, even a pouch next to our body, cannot keep our babies safe.
