Kangazelle

The **kangazelle** (*Thylomeryx striatus*), also known as the **gazelle kangaroo**, the **false antilopine kangaroo**, the **marsupial gazelle**, and the **marsupial antelope**, is a species of kangaroo that originally did not exist, but has since been created by SciiFii and introduced throughout the arid and semi-arid open woodlands, grasslands, shrublands, scrublands, and deserts across Australia to help boost biodiversity. The closest living relative of the kangazelle is the red kangaroo (*Osphranter rufus*). Compared with the red kangaroo, the kangazelle has longer feet with reduced number of toes (each of which only consists of two clawed digits), and it has stripes on its back and muzzle. Due to its agility, which is even more specialized in hopping further and higher than the red kangaroo, the kangazelle males can cover 8–9 meters (32.8–36.0 feet) in one leap while reaching heights of 1.8–3 meters (7.5–13.7 feet), though the average is 1.2–2.4 meters (5.2–7.8 feet). The kangazelle maintains its internal temperature at a point of homeostasis about 36 °C (97 °F) using a variety of physical, physiological, and behavioural adaptations. These include having an insulating layer of fur, being less active and staying in the shade when temperatures are high, panting, sweating, and licking its forelimbs. The kangazelle's range of vision is approximately 300° (324° with about 25° overlap), due to the position of its eyes. Kangazelles are capable of conserving enough water and selecting enough fresh vegetation to survive in an arid environment. The kangazelle's kidneys efficiently concentrate urine, particularly during summer. The kangazelle primarily eat green vegetation, particularly fresh grasses and forbs, and can get enough even when most plants look brown and dry. At times, kangazelles congregate in large numbers; in areas with much forage, these groups can number as much as 1,500 individuals. Kangazelles are mostly crepuscular and nocturnal, resting in the shade during the day. However, they sometimes move about during the day. Kangazelles rely on small saltbushes or mulga bushes for shelter in extreme heat rather than rocky outcrops or caves. Grazing takes up most of their daily activities. Like most kangaroo species, they are mostly sedentary, staying within a relatively well-defined home range. However, great environmental changes can cause them to travel great distances.

Kangazelles live in groups of 2–4 members. The most common groups are females and their young. Larger groups can be found in densely populated areas and females are usually with a male. Membership of these groups is very flexible, and males (boomers) are not territorial, fighting only over females (flyers) that come into heat. Males develop proportionately much larger shoulders and arms than females. Most agonistic interactions occur between young males, which engage in ritualised fighting known as boxing. They usually stand up on their hind limbs and attempt to push their opponent off balance by jabbing him or locking forearms. If the fight escalates, they will begin to kick each other. Using their tail to support their weight, they deliver kicks with their powerful hind legs. Compared to other kangaroo species, fights between kangazelle males tend to involve more wrestling. Fights establish dominance relationships among males, and determine who gets access to estrous females. Dominant males make agonistic behaviours and more sexual behaviours until they are overthrown. Displaced males live alone and avoid close contact with others.

The kangazelle breeds all year round. The females have the unusual ability to delay the birth of their baby until their previous joey has left the pouch. This is known as embryonic diapause. Copulation may last 25 minutes. The kangazelle has the typical reproductive system of a kangaroo. The neonate emerges after only 33 days. Usually only one young is born at a time. It is blind, hairless, and only a few centimetres long. Its hind legs are mere stumps; it instead uses its more developed forelegs to climb its way through the thick fur on its mother's abdomen into the pouch, which takes about three to five minutes. Once in the pouch, it fastens onto one of the two teats and starts to feed. Almost immediately, the mother's sexual cycle starts again. Another egg descends into the uterus and she becomes sexually receptive. Then, if she mates and a second egg is fertilised, its development is temporarily halted. Meanwhile, the neonate in the pouch grows rapidly. After approximately 190 days, the baby (called a joey) is sufficiently large and developed to make its full emergence out of the pouch, after sticking its head out for a few weeks until it eventually feels safe enough to fully emerge. From then on, it spends increasing time in the outside world and eventually, after around 235 days, it leaves the pouch for the last time. While the young joey will permanently leave the pouch at around 235 days old, it will continue to suckle until it reaches about 12 months of age. A doe may first reproduce as early as 18 months of age and as late as five years during drought, but normally she is two and a half years old before she begins to breed. The female kangazelle is usually permanently pregnant except on the day she gives birth; however, she has the ability to freeze the development of an embryo until the previous joey is able to leave the pouch. This is known as embryonic diapause, and will occur in times of drought and in areas with poor food sources. The composition of the milk produced by the mother varies according to the needs of the joey. In addition, kangazelle mothers may "have up to three generations of offspring simultaneously; a young-at-foot suckling from an elongated teat, a young in the pouch attached to a second teat and a blastula in arrested development in the uterus". The kangazelle has also been observed to engage in alloparental care, a behaviour in which a female may adopt another female's joey. This is a common parenting behaviour seen in many other animal species like wolves, elephants, primates and fathead minnows, just to name a few.

The kangazelle is usually too big to be subject to many of the non-human predation. They can use their robust legs and clawed feet to defend themselves from attackers with kicks and blows. However, dingoes and eagles can kill and eat joeys. Joeys are thus protected in their mother's pouch. The kangazelle does have some major predators, like crocodiles, the marsupial lions, the thylacines, the megalanias, and the wonambis. Kangazelles are adept swimmers, and often flee into waterways if threatened by a predator. If pursued into the water, a kangazelle may use its forepaws to hold the predator underwater so as to drown it. The conservation status of the kangazelle is **Least Concern** due to successful conservation efforts, the kangazelle's wide range and its tolerance to many of the human activities.