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Why can different kangaroo teats produce different kinds of milk at the same time?

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Red kangaroo (Macropus rufus) — marsupial Red kangaroo (*Macropus rufus*). The home range of this species spans much of Australia's interior, and it is the largest member of the family Macropodidae.

Different kangaroo teats can produce different compositions of milk simultaneously because female macropodids often mate and conceive while a previous offspring is still developing in the marsupium.1

Following the birth of the first joey, a second embryo is often produced that enters a state of diapause, or dormancy. Once the first joey begins to leave the pouch, the development of the second embryo resumes. During the period when the mother is feeding young at these two very different developmental stages, her teats are capable of secreting milk with distinct nutritional compositions tailored to the specific needs of each offspring. This biological adaptation allows kangaroo populations to recover quickly, particularly following environmental stressors like drought.1