National Geographic: Kangaroo Comeback Page #4

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from four legs to two

But the Aborigines have long had

their own explanations

One ancient myth holds

that while making its four legged

way through the brush

a kangaroo heard sounds it had

never heard before

It followed the enchanting music

until it came upon human

beings singing

and dancing on two feet

The kangaroo stood up on feet

of its own

then began to copy their movements

It burst from hiding in a frenzy

intending to join the ceremony

around the fire

But the people were angry

They fell upon the proud animal

determined that it should die

Then a spirit voice boomed

from the heavens

telling them to release the kangaroo

and cherish him as a brother

While hopping earned kangaroos

a special place

in the Aboriginal Dreamtime

it also propelled them into some

of the most unlikely places

This beautiful little kangaroo

is a yellow footed rock wallaby

They show off their mountaineering

skills

wherever cliffs jut out of

Australia's vast desert land

Living in large colonies

the rock wallabies shelter

in caves along the rocks

Shady crevices harbor vegetation

year-round

But water can be a problem

To get it, they sometimes descend

to where rain collects below

Wedgetailed eagles prey on rock

wallabies, too

Youngsters waiting on the cliffs

sometimes wander into the open

Only adults descend to drink

Young ones too big for the pouch

must stay behind

In just a few minutes

she'll drink a tenth of her weight

in water

Then she'll hurry back to her joey

Thirsty joeys drink straight

from mother's mouth

Like their big red cousins

on the plains

young rock wallabies spend hours

in mock battle

And while the children play

some adults engage in courtship

But this male's gentle ardor is

getting him nowhere

The children, oblivious, play on

He's nothing if not persistent

But she'll have none of it

Other adults bask lazily in the

early morning light

Long eyelashes my help screen

out the harsh sun

and discourage flies

Before retreating into the cool

caves for the day

the wallabies sunbathe

As the sun warms the cliff face

they head for their midday hideouts

The eagle will have no more chances

at them today

It wheels and heads for the plains

and its larger kangaroo fare

Joey's growing like a desert weed

and sporting a much redder coat

Each day he spends less time

in the pouch

and no longer clings to his mother

when out

This is a dangerous time for Joey

He's too big for his mother to carry

if she has to run away

and reason to run is never far off

A hungry dingo is slinking about

while Joey's busy grooming himself

His mother calls Joey to her side

Neither one sees the dingo approaching

through the brush

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