Why Yapoks Need a Pouch for Their Junk
Yapoks are cute aquatic marsupials, and they're the only living creatures that need pouches for their sacs. Hosted by: Stefan Chin Head to ...
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[♪INTRO] Down in the forested streams of South America lives a curious little mammal called the yapok. Also known as the “water opossum,” it’s the only marsupial adapted for an aquatic lifestyle. And to be so at home in the water, it’s developed a curious trait: the males have pouches, too. And what’s a male yapok do with his pouch? Tuck his junk, of course. Yapoks are nocturnal, spending their nights diving in streams in search of small fish, crustaceans, insects, and frogs to eat. They’re sort of like an otter or muskrat, but cousin to the good ‘ole Virginia opossum. And they have a lot of similar aquatic adaptations—webbed feet, water-repellent fur, and tails that they use as rudders. But one of their water-adapted traits stands out. They’re the only living marsupial species in w...
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[♪INTRO] Down in the forested streams of South America lives a curious little mammal called the yapok. Also known as the “water opossum,” it’s the only marsupial adapted for an aquatic lifestyle. And to be so at home in the water, it’s developed a curious trait: the males have pouches, too. And what’s a male yapok do with his pouch? Tuck his junk, of course. Yapoks are nocturnal, spending their nights diving in streams in search of small fish, crustaceans, insects, and frogs to eat. They’re sort of like an otter or muskrat, but cousin to the good ‘ole Virginia opossum. And they have a lot of similar aquatic adaptations—webbed feet, water-repellent fur, and tails that they use as rudders. But one of their water-adapted traits stands out. They’re the only living marsupial species in w...
