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Koala
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The koala is native to Australia. Many people believe these creatures are bears, but they are actually marsupials. They are herbivores, and they eat eucalyptus leaves almost exclusively. Koalas are nocturnal mammals, eating at night and sleeping as many as twenty hours per day.
Kangaroo
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A baby kangaroo, which lives in its mother's pouch, is called a joey. The Kangaroo is another very well-known marsupial. Like the koala, it is native to Australia. They are herbivores that eat a wide variety of herbaceous plant material, including grass, leaves and some roots. A kangaroo baby is known as a joey. The joey lives inside its mother's pouch for approximately eight months.
Opossum
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The opossum is the only marsupial native to North America. The opossum is the only marsupial native to North America. It exists mostly in the eastern United States, but it is also occasionally found in northern and western states. Opossums are nocturnal creatures that typically spend the day sleeping inside hollow trees or logs. Infant opossums are very tiny when they are born, and they live inside their mother's pouch for approximately two months.
Tasmanian Devil
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The Tasmanian Devil is found exclusively in Tasmania. The Tasmanian Devil is a popular marsupial due mainly to the Looney Tunes character known as "Taz." This creature used to live in Australia, but the population was wiped out by dingos. Now, the Tasmanian Devil lives exclusively in Tasmania. They are nocturnal, and will eat almost anything, especially carrion. Babies live in the mother's pouch for approximately four months after birth.
Wallaby
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A wallaby is a small type of kangaroo. The wallaby is another Australian native. It is a type of kangaroo, but it is smaller than most kangaroo breeds. They range from the size of a rabbit to nearly six feet in length. Wallabies are herbivores, and enjoy the same diet as kangaroos.
Wombat
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Wombats are an endangered species native to Australia and Tasmania. The wombat is a small, rodent-like marsupial native to Australia and Tasmania. It is the largest animal in the world that makes burrows. Wombats are nocturnal, and spend most of their lives alone. They are herbivores that eat leaves, grass and the bark and roots of trees.
Sugar Glider
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The sugar glider is a small marsupial that looks similar to a flying squirrel. They live in Australia, Tasmania, and other surrounding areas such as New Guinea. Sugar glider babies live in their mother's pouch for a little more than two months. Sugar gliders have recently gained popularity as domesticated pets, but they are aggressive and territorial. They also live best in pairs, because they are social animals.
Other Marsupials
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Other marsupial species include the bandicoot, the bilby, the quoll, the numbat and several species that are now believed to be extinct. Most of these marsupials are native to Australia and surrounding areas.
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Marsupial Mammal Species
Marsupials are mammals that give birth to babies that are not fully developed and carry them outside their bodies -- usually in a pouch -- until they mature enough to leave. The baby usually attaches itself to the mother's nipple, where it is fed and nurtured throughout infancy. They evolved approximately 100 million years ago during the time when dinosaurs roamed the Earth.