Kangaroos: Closed Circulatory System

Introduction In Australia, kangaroos are endemic marsupials from the family Macropodidae in Australia (Bradford, 2016). Under genus Macropus, there are 4 largest macropods that known as “great kangaroo” which are antilopine kangaroo, the eastern grey kangaroo, the western grey kangaroo and the red kangaroo (Bradford, 2016). Kangaroos vary in size across the species which red kangaroo is the largest marsupial with can grow to 1.6m and 90kg in weight while musky rat-kangaroo is only 6 to 8 inches and 340g (Bradford, 2016). Normally, males grow larger than females but mature later (Bradford, 2016; “Kangaroo Anatomy”, n.d.). As marsupials, the female kangaroos are able to carry and raise their offspring using the pouches that found on their abdomen (“Kangaroo Anatomy”, n.d.). Different species of kangaroo has different preferable habitats. For example, red kangaroo can adapt well to the dry environments, so they can be mainly found in
Closed circulatory system can be further divided into single circulatory system and double circulatory system (IvyRose Holistic, n.d.). It is a more advance circulatory system because the oxygenated and deoxygenated bloods are separated. Kangaroo falls into the closed double circulatory system as shown as in Figure XXX. The blood passes through the heart twice in double circulatory system and is circulated in two pathways that are pulmonary circulation and systemic circulation (IvyRose Holistic, n.d.). In pulmonary circulation, the distance travel is from heart to the lungs. Deoxygenated blood is pumped to the lungs for gaseous exchange and the oxygenated blood travels back to the heart. In systemic circulation, the oxygenated blood is pumped out from the heart to all parts of the body via aorta. After the diffusion of gas and nutrients to the tissue cell, the deoxygenated blood is carried by the vein back to the heart (Examstutor,