Facts on kangaroos

In reply to Mr. Sukardi's letter Impression from Australia published in The Jakarta Post on June 14, 2000, I would like to offer the following facts.

Kangaroos, Possums, Wallabies, Wombats and alike are indeed mammals just like Homo sapiens. However I can assure Mr. Sukardi that they do not lay eggs. These animals actually belong to the marsupial order who give birth to immature young that are carried and fed (usually in a pouch) on the mother's abdomen for some months after birth. Another interesting fact is that Marsupials bear live young but do not have a placenta.

I think Mr. Sukardi's acquaintances were confused with the Platypi and Echidnae, which are an evolutionary anomaly as they are egg layers who suckle their young. These mammals, unique to Australia, are known as Monotremes.

Perhaps my fellow Australians should be more worried about the state of our education system as opposed to the Sydney Olympics?

As for the idea proffered by Mr. Sukardi that "human beings" take up the practice of laying eggs -- what a great idea we could take turns at sitting on the egg for nine months.

DALE BARRON

Jakarta