#papua-new-guinea-species-endangered-by-palm-oil-deforestation — Public Fediverse posts
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Marsupials thought extinct for 6,000 years found in West Papua
In an astonishing discovery, two marsupial species believed to be extinct for 6,000 years have been rediscovered alive and well in the remote rainforests of West Papua. The pygmy long-fingered possum and the ring-tailed glider were located with the crucial assistance of local indigenous Vogelkop clans. However, their survival remains precarious as their habitats are increasingly threatened by logging and the expansion of the palm oil colonialism in West Papua. Laws and native title to protect this region is essential for indigenous land defenders. We musn’t let them disappear again #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife
Two #extinct #marsupials in #WestPapua found alive! The #marsupials highlight the need to protect #Papuan forests or they are gone for good! Resist for them and #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife when you shop 🌴🙊🔥☠️🚫 @palmoildetect #Boycott4Wildlife https://wp.me/pcFhgU-iOH
Share to BlueSky Share to TwitterTwo #possums thought extinct for 6000 years are alive in #WestPapua! The pygmy #possum and sacred ring-tailed #glider are #nature’s battlers who deserve a break from #palmoil ecocide. Stand with #indigenous defenders against palm oil #colonialism! 🌴🚫 @palmoildetect #BoycottPalmOil https://wp.me/pcFhgU-iOH
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Two extraordinarily rare marsupials, entirely believed to have been extinct for over six thousand years, have been discovered alive in the remote, Vogelkop mountain forests of the Bird’s Head peninsula in West Papua. This remarkable rediscovery of the pygmy long-fingered possum and the ring-tailed glider was confirmed by Australian scientist Professor Tim Flannery, alongside a team of local indigenous experts and university researchers.“More important than finding a living thylacine in Tasmania.”
Scott Hucknull from Central Queensland University describes the magnitude of the discovery.These species are rare examples of “Lazarus taxa”. Animals who disappear from the fossil record only to be found alive centuries later. Flannery noted that the likelihood of finding even one lost mammal was almost zero, let alone two.
“It’s unprecedented and groundbreaking, really, to find two Lazarus taxa,” Flannery says. “We’ve been able to finalise two pieces of work that are incredibly important from a biological and a conservation perspective, documenting the existence of rare marsupials in an area under threat. It’s sort of a crowning glory in my career as a biologist.”
The first of the resurrected species is the pygmy long-fingered possum, Dactylonax kambuayai. This tiny, striped marsupial possesses an extraordinary evolutionary trait: an elongated fourth finger on each hand that is double the length of other digits. Flannery explains that they use this finger to extract grubs from timber.
“They’ve got a whole lot of specialisations in their ear region as well, which seem to be related to detection of low-frequency sound. So presumably they’re listening for wood-boring beetle larvae, and they then rip open the rotting wood and use that finger to fish out the grub,” Flannery says.
The second species, the ring-tailed glider (Tous ayamaruensis), features unfurred ears and a strong, prehensile tail used for gripping branches. Flannery calls it “one of the most photogenic animals, most beautiful marsupials you’ll ever see.”
Crucially, the rediscovery of these elusive creatures was entirely dependent on the profound ecological knowledge of the local Tambrauw and Maybrat clans. These indigenous communities view the ring-tailed glider as deeply sacred, believing them to be manifestations of their ancestors’ spirits, and actively protect them from hunting. Rika Korain, a Maybrat woman and co-author of the research, emphasised that identifying the species relied entirely on traditional owners. “This connection has been essential,” she says.
“I’m very proud that Papuan researchers contributed to these landmark discoveries, and want to thank the people of the Misool, Maybrat and Tambrouw regions who supported us in the field,”
Dr Aksamina Yohanita of the University of Papua said.“The Vogelkop is an ancient piece of the Australian continent that has become incorporated into the island of New Guinea. Its forests may shelter yet more hidden relics of a past Australia,”
Tim FlanneryTo protect the remaining populations from the illegal wildlife trade, researchers are keeping their exact locations highly classified. Flannery delivered a stark warning to potential poachers regarding the animals’ survival in captivity: “They would be incredibly difficult to keep in captivity. because their diet is so highly specialised. Advanced warning for anyone who’s thinking of keeping one as a pet: it won’t live long,” he says.
While their rediscovery is a triumph, their future is highly uncertain. The proximity of power-hungry corporates intent on razing the rainforest for palm oil and timber casts a dark shadow over the region.
David Lindenmayer, an ecologist at the Australian National University, who was not involved in the study said “I am also hugely concerned about the extent of logging and land clearing happening in New Guinea,” he says. “It also makes me wonder what might have been lost in Australia as a result of all of the land clearing that has taken place here.”
The findings underline strong calls from scientists, environmentalists and indigenous rights advocates for Native Title legal land rights and indigenous-led protections of West Papua and its imperilled Vogelkop rainforest where these delightful marsupials are found.
Further information
Lam, L. (2026, March 6). Tiny possum and glider thought extinct for 6,000 years found in remote West Papua. BBC News. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cwyg6p8g6yjo
Morton, A. (2026, March 6). Marsupials previously thought extinct for millennia discovered in New Guinea. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/mar/05/marsupials-discovered-new-guinea
Woodford, J. (2026, March 5). Two marsupials believed extinct for 6000 years found alive. New Scientist. https://www.newscientist.com/article/2518082-two-marsupials-believed-extinct-for-6000-years-found-alive/
ENDS
Learn about other animals endangered by palm oil and other agriculture
Global South America S.E. Asia India Africa West Papua & PNGGursky’s Spectral Tarsier Tarsius spectrumgurskyae
Keep readingSunda Flying Lemur Galeopterus variegatus
Keep readingWestern Parotia Parotia sefilata
Keep readingCapped Langur Trachypithecus pileatus
Keep readingMountain Tapir Tapirus pinchaque
Keep reading Keep readingLearn about “sustainable” palm oil greenwashing
Read more about RSPO greenwashing
Lying Fake labels Indigenous Land-grabbing Human rights abuses Deforestation Human health hazardsA 2019 World Health Organisation (WHO) report into the palm oil industry and RSPO finds extensive greenwashing of palm oil deforestation and the murder of endangered animals (i.e. biodiversity loss)
Read moreTake Action in Five Ways
1. Join the #Boycott4Wildlife on social media and subscribe to stay in the loop: Share posts from this website to your own network on Twitter, Mastadon, Instagram, Facebook and Youtube using the hashtags #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife.
Enter your email address
Sign Up
Join 3,179 other subscribers2. Contribute stories: Academics, conservationists, scientists, indigenous rights advocates and animal rights advocates working to expose the corruption of the palm oil industry or to save animals can contribute stories to the website.
Read moreMel Lumby: Dedicated Devotee to Borneo’s Living Beings
Read moreAnthropologist and Author Dr Sophie Chao
Read moreHealth Physician Dr Evan Allen
Read moreThe World’s Most Loved Cup: A Social, Ethical & Environmental History of Coffee by Aviary Doert
Read moreHow do we stop the world’s ecosystems from going into a death spiral? A #SteadyState Economy
Read more3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.
https://twitter.com/CuriousApe4/status/1526136783557529600?s=20
https://twitter.com/PhillDixon1/status/1749010345555788144?s=20
https://twitter.com/mugabe139/status/1678027567977078784?s=20
4. Take to the streets: Get in touch with Palm Oil Detectives to find out more.
5. Donate: Make a one-off or monthly donation to Palm Oil Detectives as a way of saying thank you and to help pay for ongoing running costs of the website and social media campaigns. Donate here
Pledge your support #animalBehaviour #AnimalBiodiversityNews #animalExtinction #animalIntelligence #animalRights #biodiversity #Boycott4wildlife #BoycottPalmOil #deforestation #ForgottenAnimals #Marsupial #marsupials #PalmOil #palmOilDeforestation #PapuaNewGuinea #PapuaNewGuineaSpeciesEndangeredByPalmOilDeforestation #possum #possums #WestPapua -
Marsupials thought extinct for 6,000 years found in West Papua
In an astonishing discovery, two marsupial species believed to be extinct for 6,000 years have been rediscovered alive and well in the remote rainforests of West Papua. The pygmy long-fingered possum and the ring-tailed glider were located with the crucial assistance of local indigenous Vogelkop clans. However, their survival remains precarious as their habitats are increasingly threatened by logging and the expansion of the palm oil colonialism in West Papua. Laws and native title to protect this region is essential for indigenous land defenders. We musn’t let them disappear again #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife
Two #extinct #marsupials in #WestPapua found alive! The #marsupials highlight the need to protect #Papuan forests or they are gone for good! Resist for them and #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife when you shop 🌴🙊🔥☠️🚫 @palmoildetect #Boycott4Wildlife https://wp.me/pcFhgU-iOH
Share to BlueSky Share to TwitterTwo #possums thought extinct for 6000 years are alive in #WestPapua! The pygmy #possum and sacred ring-tailed #glider are #nature’s battlers who deserve a break from #palmoil ecocide. Stand with #indigenous defenders against palm oil #colonialism! 🌴🚫 @palmoildetect #BoycottPalmOil https://wp.me/pcFhgU-iOH
Share to BlueSky Share to Twitter
Two extraordinarily rare marsupials, entirely believed to have been extinct for over six thousand years, have been discovered alive in the remote, Vogelkop mountain forests of the Bird’s Head peninsula in West Papua. This remarkable rediscovery of the pygmy long-fingered possum and the ring-tailed glider was confirmed by Australian scientist Professor Tim Flannery, alongside a team of local indigenous experts and university researchers.“More important than finding a living thylacine in Tasmania.”
Scott Hucknull from Central Queensland University describes the magnitude of the discovery.These species are rare examples of “Lazarus taxa”. Animals who disappear from the fossil record only to be found alive centuries later. Flannery noted that the likelihood of finding even one lost mammal was almost zero, let alone two.
“It’s unprecedented and groundbreaking, really, to find two Lazarus taxa,” Flannery says. “We’ve been able to finalise two pieces of work that are incredibly important from a biological and a conservation perspective, documenting the existence of rare marsupials in an area under threat. It’s sort of a crowning glory in my career as a biologist.”
The first of the resurrected species is the pygmy long-fingered possum, Dactylonax kambuayai. This tiny, striped marsupial possesses an extraordinary evolutionary trait: an elongated fourth finger on each hand that is double the length of other digits. Flannery explains that they use this finger to extract grubs from timber.
“They’ve got a whole lot of specialisations in their ear region as well, which seem to be related to detection of low-frequency sound. So presumably they’re listening for wood-boring beetle larvae, and they then rip open the rotting wood and use that finger to fish out the grub,” Flannery says.
The second species, the ring-tailed glider (Tous ayamaruensis), features unfurred ears and a strong, prehensile tail used for gripping branches. Flannery calls it “one of the most photogenic animals, most beautiful marsupials you’ll ever see.”
Crucially, the rediscovery of these elusive creatures was entirely dependent on the profound ecological knowledge of the local Tambrauw and Maybrat clans. These indigenous communities view the ring-tailed glider as deeply sacred, believing them to be manifestations of their ancestors’ spirits, and actively protect them from hunting. Rika Korain, a Maybrat woman and co-author of the research, emphasised that identifying the species relied entirely on traditional owners. “This connection has been essential,” she says.
“I’m very proud that Papuan researchers contributed to these landmark discoveries, and want to thank the people of the Misool, Maybrat and Tambrouw regions who supported us in the field,”
Dr Aksamina Yohanita of the University of Papua said.“The Vogelkop is an ancient piece of the Australian continent that has become incorporated into the island of New Guinea. Its forests may shelter yet more hidden relics of a past Australia,”
Tim FlanneryTo protect the remaining populations from the illegal wildlife trade, researchers are keeping their exact locations highly classified. Flannery delivered a stark warning to potential poachers regarding the animals’ survival in captivity: “They would be incredibly difficult to keep in captivity. because their diet is so highly specialised. Advanced warning for anyone who’s thinking of keeping one as a pet: it won’t live long,” he says.
While their rediscovery is a triumph, their future is highly uncertain. The proximity of power-hungry corporates intent on razing the rainforest for palm oil and timber casts a dark shadow over the region.
David Lindenmayer, an ecologist at the Australian National University, who was not involved in the study said “I am also hugely concerned about the extent of logging and land clearing happening in New Guinea,” he says. “It also makes me wonder what might have been lost in Australia as a result of all of the land clearing that has taken place here.”
The findings underline strong calls from scientists, environmentalists and indigenous rights advocates for Native Title legal land rights and indigenous-led protections of West Papua and its imperilled Vogelkop rainforest where these delightful marsupials are found.
Further information
Lam, L. (2026, March 6). Tiny possum and glider thought extinct for 6,000 years found in remote West Papua. BBC News. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cwyg6p8g6yjo
Morton, A. (2026, March 6). Marsupials previously thought extinct for millennia discovered in New Guinea. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2026/mar/05/marsupials-discovered-new-guinea
Woodford, J. (2026, March 5). Two marsupials believed extinct for 6000 years found alive. New Scientist. https://www.newscientist.com/article/2518082-two-marsupials-believed-extinct-for-6000-years-found-alive/
ENDS
Learn about other animals endangered by palm oil and other agriculture
Global South America S.E. Asia India Africa West Papua & PNGGursky’s Spectral Tarsier Tarsius spectrumgurskyae
Keep readingSunda Flying Lemur Galeopterus variegatus
Keep readingWestern Parotia Parotia sefilata
Keep readingCapped Langur Trachypithecus pileatus
Keep readingMountain Tapir Tapirus pinchaque
Keep reading Keep readingLearn about “sustainable” palm oil greenwashing
Read more about RSPO greenwashing
Lying Fake labels Indigenous Land-grabbing Human rights abuses Deforestation Human health hazardsA 2019 World Health Organisation (WHO) report into the palm oil industry and RSPO finds extensive greenwashing of palm oil deforestation and the murder of endangered animals (i.e. biodiversity loss)
Read moreTake Action in Five Ways
1. Join the #Boycott4Wildlife on social media and subscribe to stay in the loop: Share posts from this website to your own network on Twitter, Mastadon, Instagram, Facebook and Youtube using the hashtags #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife.
Enter your email address
Sign Up
Join 3,179 other subscribers2. Contribute stories: Academics, conservationists, scientists, indigenous rights advocates and animal rights advocates working to expose the corruption of the palm oil industry or to save animals can contribute stories to the website.
Read moreMel Lumby: Dedicated Devotee to Borneo’s Living Beings
Read moreAnthropologist and Author Dr Sophie Chao
Read moreHealth Physician Dr Evan Allen
Read moreThe World’s Most Loved Cup: A Social, Ethical & Environmental History of Coffee by Aviary Doert
Read moreHow do we stop the world’s ecosystems from going into a death spiral? A #SteadyState Economy
Read more3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.
https://twitter.com/CuriousApe4/status/1526136783557529600?s=20
https://twitter.com/PhillDixon1/status/1749010345555788144?s=20
https://twitter.com/mugabe139/status/1678027567977078784?s=20
4. Take to the streets: Get in touch with Palm Oil Detectives to find out more.
5. Donate: Make a one-off or monthly donation to Palm Oil Detectives as a way of saying thank you and to help pay for ongoing running costs of the website and social media campaigns. Donate here
Pledge your support #animalBehaviour #AnimalBiodiversityNews #animalExtinction #animalIntelligence #animalRights #biodiversity #Boycott4wildlife #BoycottPalmOil #deforestation #ForgottenAnimals #Marsupial #marsupials #PalmOil #palmOilDeforestation #PapuaNewGuinea #PapuaNewGuineaSpeciesEndangeredByPalmOilDeforestation #possum #possums #WestPapua -
Frill-Necked Lizard Chlamydosaurus kingii
Frill-Necked Lizard Chlamydosaurus kingii
Location: Papua New Guinea, West Papua, Australia
Region: Trans-Fly ecosystem of southern Papua New Guinea and West Papua along with northern parts of Australia.
The frill-necked lizard Chlamydosaurus kingii, also known as the frilled dragons or frill-neck lizards, are famous for their impressive neck frill that fans out dramatically when they feel threatened. The Trans-Fly savannahs of southern Papua New Guinea and Indonesian-occupied West Papua, have come increasingly under threat over the past decade by climate change-related extreme weather and deforestation. Anthropogenic threats include habitat destruction for timber and palm oil, climate change-related fires, expanding agricultural zones, road and infrastructure building and capture for the exotic pet trade. In Australia, these lizards eat poisonous cane toads that are deadly once ingested. This along with large-scale bushfires pose threats to Frill-necked #Lizards. Once abundant, these striking reptiles are now losing their ecosystems. Use your wallet as a weapon for them by defending New Guinea’s forests. Choose palm oil-free products and boycott the pet trade. #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife
The Frilled-Neck #Lizard 🦎💚 is an icon of #Australia 🇦🇺. Their #PapuaNewGuinea 🇵🇬 and #WestPapua populations are under threat from #deforestation 🌴🩸⛔️ along with #ClimateChange. Protect their home and #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://palmoildetectives.com/2025/11/09/frill-necked-lizard-chlamydosaurus-kingii/
Share to BlueSky Share to TwitterWith their dramatic frilled necks 🦎😻✨ and ability to run on two legs, Frilled-Neck #Lizards are arguably the most spectacular lizards in all of #Melanesia 🇵🇬 Help protect their #NewGuinea population #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://palmoildetectives.com/2025/11/09/frill-necked-lizard-chlamydosaurus-kingii/
Share to BlueSky Share to Twitterhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a44j267-nxE
Appearance & Behaviour
With their iconic neck frill, long limbs and ability to sprint upright on two legs, frill-necked lizards are one of the most distinctive reptiles in the world. New Guinean individuals typically feature vivid yellow frills that flare outward like a sunburst when they feel threatened—often accompanied by a hiss and an open mouth to appear larger than life. Their frill can reach up to 30 cm across, supported by hyoid bones and cartilage that fan the skin out in a flash. Colouration is variable, and in New Guinea, these lizards lean towards paler hues with distinctive white markings accenting their yellow frills.
Primarily arboreal, they spend over 90% of their time in the trees. They are solitary, territorial, and highly dependent on their frill to communicate and intimidate. During the wet season, they descend closer to the ground in search of food, only to retreat to the higher canopy during the dry months when food is scarce.
Threats
- Deforestation for palm oil plantations is rapidly fragmenting their native woodlands in the Trans-Fly region of West Papua and Papua New Guinea.
- Illegal capture for the pet trade—many specimens claimed to be ‘captive bred’ are actually wild-caught in Papua New Guinea.
- Late dry season fires increase mortality rates and reduce food availability.
- Predation by feral cats is an ongoing issue in some parts of their range.
- Climate change related extreme weather may impact their reproduction, as temperature influences sex ratios and growth rates.
Geographic Range
This species is found in northern Australia and across southern New Guinea, including both Papua New Guinea and Indonesian-occupied West Papua. In New Guinea, they inhabit the Trans-Fly savannah region—a unique landscape of seasonal woodlands and dry forests. These lizards avoid low-lying Melaleuca-dominated swamps and prefer elevated areas with well-drained soils and diverse tree species. However, their range in New Guinea is far more restricted than in Australia, making local threats far more significant to their survival.
Diet
Frill-necked lizards are insectivorous ambush predators. They rely on their sharp eyesight and camouflage to spot prey from high in the trees. Their diet consists mainly of insects like termites, cicadas, beetles, ants, and centipedes. During the dry season, termites are especially important, while the wet season sees them shifting to moth larvae. Occasionally, they will consume spiders, small rodents, and other lizards.
Mating and Reproduction
Mating occurs during the late dry and early wet seasons. Males engage in dramatic frill displays and combat to win over females. Females dig a shallow burrow where they lay 1–2 clutches of 4–20 eggs. Temperature plays a critical role in determining the sex of hatchlings—warmer nests produce more males, while cooler ones yield more females. Young frillies are independent within 10 days of hatching and can deploy their frills almost immediately.
FAQs
How many Frill-necked lizards are left in New Guinea?
There is no precise population estimate for New Guinea, but while the species is locally common in parts of Australia, their populations in the Trans-Fly region are under pressure. Their limited range, coupled with the impacts of deforestation and trade, may mean local declines are already occurring.
How long do Frill-necked lizards live in the wild?
Frill-necked lizards in the wild can live up to 6 years for males and around 4 years for females. Hatchlings grow rapidly during the wet season and reach sexual maturity by about two years of age.
Do Frill-necked lizards make good pets?
Absolutely not. These sensitive reptiles are wild animals with complex needs. They are difficult to breed in captivity, meaning many sold in pet markets are likely wild-caught, contributing directly to population declines. Keeping them as pets fuels this harmful trade and leads to suffering. If you care about frill-necked lizards, do not support the exotic pet industry.
Take Action!
Support local and indigenous-led resistance to palm oil deforestation in West Papua and Papua New Guinea. Boycott palm oil products entirely—there is no such thing as “sustainable” palm oil, all of it causes deforestation. Say no to the exotic pet trade, which is stripping these unique lizards from the wild and pushing them towards decline. #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife
Support Frill-Necked Lizards by going vegan and boycotting palm oil in the supermarket, it’s the #Boycott4Wildlife
Support the conservation of this species
This animal has no protections in place. Read about other forgotten species here. Create art to support this forgotten animal or raise awareness about them by sharing this post and using the #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife hashtags on social media. Also you can boycott palm oil in the supermarket.
Further Information
O’Shea, M., Allison, A., Tallowin, O., Wilson, S. & Melville, J. 2017. Chlamydosaurus kingii. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2017: e.T170384A21644690. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-3.RLTS.T170384A21644690.en. Accessed on 06 April 2025.
Harlow, P. S., & Shine, R. (1999). Temperature-dependent sex determination in reptiles: insights from frillneck lizards. Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 68(3), 197–211. https://www.jstor.org/stable/3893081
Wikipedia contributors. (n.d.). Frilled lizard. Wikipedia. Retrieved 7 April 2025, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frilled_lizard
How can I help the #Boycott4Wildlife?
Take Action in Five Ways
1. Join the #Boycott4Wildlife on social media and subscribe to stay in the loop: Share posts from this website to your own network on Twitter, Mastadon, Instagram, Facebook and Youtube using the hashtags #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife.
Enter your email address
Sign Up
Join 3,178 other subscribers2. Contribute stories: Academics, conservationists, scientists, indigenous rights advocates and animal rights advocates working to expose the corruption of the palm oil industry or to save animals can contribute stories to the website.
Read moreMel Lumby: Dedicated Devotee to Borneo’s Living Beings
Read moreAnthropologist and Author Dr Sophie Chao
Read moreHealth Physician Dr Evan Allen
Read moreThe World’s Most Loved Cup: A Social, Ethical & Environmental History of Coffee by Aviary Doert
Read moreHow do we stop the world’s ecosystems from going into a death spiral? A #SteadyState Economy
Read more3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.
https://twitter.com/CuriousApe4/status/1526136783557529600?s=20
https://twitter.com/PhillDixon1/status/1749010345555788144?s=20
https://twitter.com/mugabe139/status/1678027567977078784?s=20
4. Take to the streets: Get in touch with Palm Oil Detectives to find out more.
5. Donate: Make a one-off or monthly donation to Palm Oil Detectives as a way of saying thank you and to help pay for ongoing running costs of the website and social media campaigns. Donate here
Pledge your supportLearn about other animals endangered by palm oil and other agriculture
Global South America S.E. Asia India Africa West Papua & PNGGursky’s Spectral Tarsier Tarsius spectrumgurskyae
Keep readingSunda Flying Lemur Galeopterus variegatus
Keep readingWestern Parotia Parotia sefilata
Keep readingCapped Langur Trachypithecus pileatus
Keep readingMountain Tapir Tapirus pinchaque
Keep reading Keep readingLearn about “sustainable” palm oil greenwashing
Read more about RSPO greenwashing
Lying Fake labels Indigenous Land-grabbing Human rights abuses Deforestation Human health hazardsA 2019 World Health Organisation (WHO) report into the palm oil industry and RSPO finds extensive greenwashing of palm oil deforestation and the murder of endangered animals (i.e. biodiversity loss)
Read more #animals #Australia #Boycott4wildlife #BoycottPalmOil #bushfires #climateChange #climatechange #deforestation #fires #ForgottenAnimals #FrillNeckedLizardChlamydosaurusKingii #hunting #illegalPetTrade #insectivore #lizard #lizards #Melanesia #NewGuinea #PalmOil #palmOilDeforestation #PapuaNewGuineaSpeciesEndangeredByPalmOilDeforestation #PapuaNewGuinea #petTrade #poaching #Reptile #reptiles #timber #WestPapua #WestPapua -
Bougainville Monkey-faced Bat Pteralopex anceps
Bougainville Monkey-faced Bat Pteralopex anceps
Red List Status: Endangered
Extant (resident): Papua New Guinea; Solomon Islands
In the verdant, high-altitude forests of Bougainville Island, Papua New Guinea, and Choiseul Island, Solomon Islands, lives an intriguing creature—the Bougainville Monkey-faced bat or, as some call them, the Bougainville Flying Monkey. These bats are the titans of their family, boasting arm spans stretching impressively between 14.1 to 16 cm. They are endangered, mostly from palm oil and gold mining deforestation and hunting. Help them to survive every time you shop and #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife
Help to save the Bougainville Monkey-faced #Bat 🦇 of Bougainville Is. #PapuaNewGuinea 🇵🇬 they are #endangered from #palmoil 🌴🪔#deforestation 🔥🌳 and hunting. Help them to survive and #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife each time you shop @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-6vA
Share to BlueSky Share to TwitterBeguiling Bougainville Monkey-faced #Bats 🦇✨ are #endangered from #palmoil #deforestation in #PapuaNewGuinea and the Solomon Islands. Fight for them and #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife when you shop! @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-6vA
Share to BlueSky Share to TwitterAppearance & Behaviour
During the night time, their captivating eyes that glow red or orange under the night sky, much like their kin.
They wear a mantle of thick, black fur that shrouds their heads and backs, whilst a contrasting splash of white or yellow graces their chests, making them a sight to behold. Unlike their relatives, the Guadalcanal Monkey-faced bats, their legs are enshrouded with a full coat of fur. During the night time, their captivating eyes that glow red or orange under the night sky, much like their kin. Tailless and intriguingly equal in size whether male or female, these bats certainly stand out in the animal kingdom.
Threats
Habitat Destruction:
- Bougainville Monkey-faced bats predominantly depend on mature, upland forests.
- Significant habitat destruction from agricultural activities and forest conversion.
Hunting Pressures
- They are regularly hunted for bushmeat: Hunting practices often involve burning the bats’ roosting trees, thereby destroying their habitats.
- Increased hunting pressure was partly due to civil tensions in Bougainville from 1987 to 2000.
Population Decline:
- Bougainville Monkey-faced bats were feared extinct in 1992 due to a lack of sightings.
- Tragically, their population is estimated to have declined by at least 50% from 1997-2017.
- Despite suggestions for a captive breeding program in 1992 to curb population decline, no such program exists as of 2017.
Conservation Efforts:
Bougainville Monkey-faced bats are listed as an Endangered species on the IUCN Red List. Bat Conservation International included them in its worldwide priority list for conservation in 2013.
Conservation strategies involve collaborations with local communities and organisations, identifying alternative protein sources, reforestation, managing conflicts between the bats and farmers, and promoting conservation dialogue.
Habitat
Found high above sea level in cloud forests over 1,100 metres, the Bougainville Monkey-faced bat enjoys the tranquillity and freshness of higher altitudes. After vanishing from sight on Bougainville Island since 1968, they made a surprise reappearance in 2016. On Choiseul Island, though, they’ve been conspicuously absent since 2008. These bats have a penchant for mature, highland tropical forests and aren’t picky about roosting spots, be it in hollow trees or hanging off fig tree branches. There’s even talk about these bats gouging trees for sap—a unique adaptation indeed!
Diet
While the exact diet of these bats remains a mystery, the significant wear on the teeth of museum specimens provides a clue. This condition points to the possibility of them consuming hard, rough-textured fruits.
Mating and breeding
Many aspects of the biology and behaviour of this bat, like many other megabats, remain understudied due to their inaccessible habitats and their elusive, secretive natures.
Support Bougainville Monkey-faced Bat Pteralopex anceps by going vegan and boycotting palm oil in the supermarket, it’s the #Boycott4Wildlife
Support the conservation of this species
This animal has no protections in place. Read about other forgotten species here. Create art to support this forgotten animal or raise awareness about them by sharing this post and using the #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife hashtags on social media. Also you can boycott palm oil in the supermarket.
Further Information
Lavery, T.H. 2017. Pteralopex anceps. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2017: e.T18656A22071126. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-2.RLTS.T18656A22071126.en. Accessed on 14 June 2023.
Bougainville monkey-faced bat Wikipedia article – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bougainville_monkey-faced_bat
Bougainville monkey-faced bat on The IUCN Red List site – https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/18656/22071126
How can I help the #Boycott4Wildlife?
Take Action in Five Ways
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Read moreAnthropologist and Author Dr Sophie Chao
Read moreHealth Physician Dr Evan Allen
Read moreThe World’s Most Loved Cup: A Social, Ethical & Environmental History of Coffee by Aviary Doert
Read moreHow do we stop the world’s ecosystems from going into a death spiral? A #SteadyState Economy
Read more3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.
https://twitter.com/CuriousApe4/status/1526136783557529600?s=20
https://twitter.com/PhillDixon1/status/1749010345555788144?s=20
https://twitter.com/mugabe139/status/1678027567977078784?s=20
4. Take to the streets: Get in touch with Palm Oil Detectives to find out more.
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Pledge your supportLearn about other animals endangered by palm oil and other agriculture
Global South America S.E. Asia India Africa West Papua & PNGMarsupials thought extinct for 6,000 years found in West Papua
Keep readingGursky’s Spectral Tarsier Tarsius spectrumgurskyae
Keep readingSunda Flying Lemur Galeopterus variegatus
Keep readingWestern Parotia Parotia sefilata
Keep readingCapped Langur Trachypithecus pileatus
Keep readingMountain Tapir Tapirus pinchaque
Keep readingLearn about “sustainable” palm oil greenwashing
Read more about RSPO greenwashing
Lying Fake labels Indigenous Land-grabbing Human rights abuses Deforestation Human health hazardsA 2019 World Health Organisation (WHO) report into the palm oil industry and RSPO finds extensive greenwashing of palm oil deforestation and the murder of endangered animals (i.e. biodiversity loss)
Read more #animals #Bat #bats #BougainvilleMonkeyFacedBatPteralopexAnceps #Boycott4wildlife #BoycottPalmOil #deforestation #endangered #EndangeredSpecies #ForgottenAnimals #humanWildlifeConflict #hunting #Mammal #PalmOil #palmOilDeforestation #palmoil #PapuaNewGuinea #PapuaNewGuineaSpeciesEndangeredByPalmOilDeforestation #PapuaNewGuinea #poaching #pollination #pollinator #solomonIslands #SolomonIslands #WestPapua -
Bougainville Monkey-faced Bat Pteralopex anceps
Bougainville Monkey-faced Bat Pteralopex anceps
Red List Status: Endangered
Extant (resident): Papua New Guinea; Solomon Islands
In the verdant, high-altitude forests of Bougainville Island, Papua New Guinea, and Choiseul Island, Solomon Islands, lives an intriguing creature—the Bougainville Monkey-faced bat or, as some call them, the Bougainville Flying Monkey. These bats are the titans of their family, boasting arm spans stretching impressively between 14.1 to 16 cm. They are endangered, mostly from palm oil and gold mining deforestation and hunting. Help them to survive every time you shop and #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife
Help to save the Bougainville Monkey-faced #Bat 🦇 of Bougainville Is. #PapuaNewGuinea 🇵🇬 they are #endangered from #palmoil 🌴🪔#deforestation 🔥🌳 and hunting. Help them to survive and #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife each time you shop @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-6vA
Share to BlueSky Share to TwitterBeguiling Bougainville Monkey-faced #Bats 🦇✨ are #endangered from #palmoil #deforestation in #PapuaNewGuinea and the Solomon Islands. Fight for them and #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife when you shop! @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-6vA
Share to BlueSky Share to TwitterAppearance & Behaviour
During the night time, their captivating eyes that glow red or orange under the night sky, much like their kin.
They wear a mantle of thick, black fur that shrouds their heads and backs, whilst a contrasting splash of white or yellow graces their chests, making them a sight to behold. Unlike their relatives, the Guadalcanal Monkey-faced bats, their legs are enshrouded with a full coat of fur. During the night time, their captivating eyes that glow red or orange under the night sky, much like their kin. Tailless and intriguingly equal in size whether male or female, these bats certainly stand out in the animal kingdom.
Threats
Habitat Destruction:
- Bougainville Monkey-faced bats predominantly depend on mature, upland forests.
- Significant habitat destruction from agricultural activities and forest conversion.
Hunting Pressures
- They are regularly hunted for bushmeat: Hunting practices often involve burning the bats’ roosting trees, thereby destroying their habitats.
- Increased hunting pressure was partly due to civil tensions in Bougainville from 1987 to 2000.
Population Decline:
- Bougainville Monkey-faced bats were feared extinct in 1992 due to a lack of sightings.
- Tragically, their population is estimated to have declined by at least 50% from 1997-2017.
- Despite suggestions for a captive breeding program in 1992 to curb population decline, no such program exists as of 2017.
Conservation Efforts:
Bougainville Monkey-faced bats are listed as an Endangered species on the IUCN Red List. Bat Conservation International included them in its worldwide priority list for conservation in 2013.
Conservation strategies involve collaborations with local communities and organisations, identifying alternative protein sources, reforestation, managing conflicts between the bats and farmers, and promoting conservation dialogue.
Habitat
Found high above sea level in cloud forests over 1,100 metres, the Bougainville Monkey-faced bat enjoys the tranquillity and freshness of higher altitudes. After vanishing from sight on Bougainville Island since 1968, they made a surprise reappearance in 2016. On Choiseul Island, though, they’ve been conspicuously absent since 2008. These bats have a penchant for mature, highland tropical forests and aren’t picky about roosting spots, be it in hollow trees or hanging off fig tree branches. There’s even talk about these bats gouging trees for sap—a unique adaptation indeed!
Diet
While the exact diet of these bats remains a mystery, the significant wear on the teeth of museum specimens provides a clue. This condition points to the possibility of them consuming hard, rough-textured fruits.
Mating and breeding
Many aspects of the biology and behaviour of this bat, like many other megabats, remain understudied due to their inaccessible habitats and their elusive, secretive natures.
Support Bougainville Monkey-faced Bat Pteralopex anceps by going vegan and boycotting palm oil in the supermarket, it’s the #Boycott4Wildlife
Support the conservation of this species
This animal has no protections in place. Read about other forgotten species here. Create art to support this forgotten animal or raise awareness about them by sharing this post and using the #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife hashtags on social media. Also you can boycott palm oil in the supermarket.
Further Information
Lavery, T.H. 2017. Pteralopex anceps. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2017: e.T18656A22071126. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2017-2.RLTS.T18656A22071126.en. Accessed on 14 June 2023.
Bougainville monkey-faced bat Wikipedia article – https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bougainville_monkey-faced_bat
Bougainville monkey-faced bat on The IUCN Red List site – https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/18656/22071126
How can I help the #Boycott4Wildlife?
Take Action in Five Ways
1. Join the #Boycott4Wildlife on social media and subscribe to stay in the loop: Share posts from this website to your own network on Twitter, Mastadon, Instagram, Facebook and Youtube using the hashtags #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife.
Enter your email address
Sign Up
Join 1,392 other subscribers2. Contribute stories: Academics, conservationists, scientists, indigenous rights advocates and animal rights advocates working to expose the corruption of the palm oil industry or to save animals can contribute stories to the website.
Mel Lumby: Dedicated Devotee to Borneo’s Living Beings
Anthropologist and Author Dr Sophie Chao
Health Physician Dr Evan Allen
The World’s Most Loved Cup: A Social, Ethical & Environmental History of Coffee by Aviary Doert
How do we stop the world’s ecosystems from going into a death spiral? A #SteadyState Economy
3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.
https://twitter.com/CuriousApe4/status/1526136783557529600?s=20
https://twitter.com/PhillDixon1/status/1749010345555788144?s=20
https://twitter.com/mugabe139/status/1678027567977078784?s=20
4. Take to the streets: Get in touch with Palm Oil Detectives to find out more.
5. Donate: Make a one-off or monthly donation to Palm Oil Detectives as a way of saying thank you and to help pay for ongoing running costs of the website and social media campaigns. Donate here
Pledge your supportLearn about other animals endangered by palm oil and other agriculture
Global South America S.E. Asia India Africa West Papua & PNGBrazilian three-banded armadillo Tolypeutes tricinctus
Sumatran Tiger Panthera tigris sondaica
Bateleur Eagle Terathopius ecaudatus
Borneo Forest Dragon Gonocephalus bornensis
Orange-breasted Falcon Falco deiroleucus
Learn about “sustainable” palm oil greenwashing
Read more about RSPO greenwashing
Lying Fake labels Indigenous Land-grabbing Human rights abuses Deforestation Human health hazardsA 2019 World Health Organisation (WHO) report into the palm oil industry and RSPO finds extensive greenwashing of palm oil deforestation and the murder of endangered animals (i.e. biodiversity loss)
Read more#animals #Bat #bats #BougainvilleMonkeyFacedBatPteralopexAnceps #Boycott4wildlife #BoycottPalmOil #deforestation #endangered #EndangeredSpecies #ForgottenAnimals #humanWildlifeConflict #hunting #Mammal #PalmOil #palmOilDeforestation #palmoil #PapuaNewGuinea #PapuaNewGuineaSpeciesEndangeredByPalmOilDeforestation #PapuaNewGuinea #poaching #pollination #pollinator #solomonIslands #SolomonIslands #WestPapua
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Waigeo Cuscus Spilocuscus papuensis
Waigeo Cuscus Spilocuscus papuensis
Vulnerable
Extant
West Papua (Waigeo Island)
Cryptic and solitary marsupials, Waigeo Cuscuses cling to tree canopies on a Waigeo Island, West Papua. They are classified as vulnerable on IUCN Red List due to palm oil deforestation and mining on the tiny island where they live. Help them each time you shop and be #vegan, #Boycottpalmoil and #Boycott4Wildlife
Cryptic and solitary #marsupials, Waigeo #cuscus 🐒 cling to tree canopies on Waigeo Island #WestPapua, they are vulnerable from #palmoil 🌴🪔🩸💀⛔️ #deforestation. Help them and go #vegan and #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://palmoildetectives.com/2023/07/09/waigeo-cuscus-spilocuscus-papuensis/
Share to BlueSky Share to TwitterPocket sized cuties 🧸😻🩷 Waigeo #Cuscus are #vulnerable due to #palmoil #deforestation on a tiny island in #WestPapua. Fight for their survival, go #vegan 🥦🍅 and #Boycottpalmoil 🌴🪔🔥🧐🏂🙈🚫 #Boycott4Wildlife each time you shop https://palmoildetectives.com/2023/07/09/waigeo-cuscus-spilocuscus-papuensis/ via @palmoildetect
Share to BlueSky Share to TwitterBehaviour & Appearance
Waigeo Cuscus, also known as the Waigeou Spotted Cuscus are cryptic and solitary marsupials of the family Phalangeridae. Not much is known about their ecology and behaviour and more research is needed in this area.
Waigeo Cuscus like other cuscus species have a strong prehensile tail that allows them to swing and hang in tree canopies.
Different cuscus species have eyes of varying colours. Waigeo Cuscuses have amber or orange eyes with have vertical pupils, similar to a cats or reptiles. This allows cuscuses to have superior night time vision. Like other cuscus, Waigeo Cuscuses have long nails to help with grip on tree branches and for grooming.
Geographical range
They are restricted to a small islet off the coast of the West Papua province called Waigeo Island. They prefer to live in primary or secondary tropical forests.
Threats
Their isolated and small geographic location makes their existence fragile and threatened by increased palm oil deforestation and mining in Waigeo Island, which is now taking place. An increase in hunting, mining and palm oil deforestation on the island would have a disastrous impact on this species.
Waigeo Cuscuses are classified as Vulnerable on IUCN Red List as they face many human-related threats including:
- Palm oil deforestation: Concessions for palm oil have been sold which invade into the Waigeo Cuscus’ range. They are limited to the small island and so any reduction in georgraphic range for palm oil will have disastrous consequences for them.
- Hunting and human persecution: These cuscus are hunted for their meat and fur.
- Mining: Mining concessions on Waigeo Island have been sold and this limits the geographic range of the Waigeo Cuscus across the small island.
Support the conservation of this species
This animal has no protections in place. Read about other forgotten species here. Create art to support this forgotten animal or raise awareness about them by sharing this post and using the #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife hashtags on social media. Also you can boycott palm oil in the supermarket.
Further Information
Helgen, K., Aplin, K. & Dickman, C. 2016. Spilocuscus papuensis. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T20638A21949972. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-2.RLTS.T20638A21949972.en. Accessed on 16 November 2022.
How can I help the #Boycott4Wildlife?
Take Action in Five Ways
1. Join the #Boycott4Wildlife on social media and subscribe to stay in the loop: Share posts from this website to your own network on Twitter, Mastadon, Instagram, Facebook and Youtube using the hashtags #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife.
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Join 3,172 other subscribers2. Contribute stories: Academics, conservationists, scientists, indigenous rights advocates and animal rights advocates working to expose the corruption of the palm oil industry or to save animals can contribute stories to the website.
Mel Lumby: Dedicated Devotee to Borneo’s Living Beings
Anthropologist and Author Dr Sophie Chao
Health Physician Dr Evan Allen
The World’s Most Loved Cup: A Social, Ethical & Environmental History of Coffee by Aviary Doert
How do we stop the world’s ecosystems from going into a death spiral? A #SteadyState Economy
3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.
https://twitter.com/CuriousApe4/status/1526136783557529600?s=20
https://twitter.com/PhillDixon1/status/1749010345555788144?s=20
https://twitter.com/mugabe139/status/1678027567977078784?s=20
4. Take to the streets: Get in touch with Palm Oil Detectives to find out more.
5. Donate: Make a one-off or monthly donation to Palm Oil Detectives as a way of saying thank you and to help pay for ongoing running costs of the website and social media campaigns. Donate here
Pledge your support#Boycott4wildlife #BoycottPalmOil #bushmeat #cuscus #cuscuses #deforestation #ForgottenAnimals #hunting #Indonesia #Mammal #Marsupial #marsupials #mining #PalmOil #palmOilDeforestation #palmoil #PapuaNewGuineaSpeciesEndangeredByPalmOilDeforestation #possum #possums #vegan #vulnerable #VulnerableSpecies #WaigeoCuscusSpilocuscusPapuensis #WestPapua #WestPapua
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Meet Chimbu, the blue-eyed, bear-eared tree kangaroo
Tree kangaroos are so unusual that when Europeans first encountered them in Australia in 1872, back on the continent they were sceptical if they were real! Who would believe a #kangaroo could climb a tree?
The Goodfellow’s tree kangaroo is an endangered species of the genus dendrolagus living in the Central Cordillera mountain ranges of Papua New Guinea. Help them to survive every time you shop and be #Vegan #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4wildlife
The Goodfellow’s tree #kangaroo 🦘🤎 is an #endangered macropod of #PapuaNewGuinea 🇵🇬 Threats include #palmoil and #mining #deforestation #Boycottpalmoil 🌴🪔☠️🚜🧐🙊⛔️#Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://palmoildetectives.com/2021/11/03/meet-chimbu-the-blue-eyed-bear-eared-tree-kangaroo/
Share to BlueSky Share to TwitterA climbing kangaroo? That’s roo-diculous!
Europeans in New Guinea first described tree kangaroos in 1828. While there have been plenty of disagreements about who is related to whom, we now know there are 14 distinct species.
Early explorers considered the very idea of a climbing roo ridiculous, but these animals are specially adapted to life in the trees. They likely all evolved from a terrestrial ancestor earlier in the Pliocene, 5.3 million to 2.5 million years ago.
Tree kangaroos look like marsupial bears, but can climb trees like monkeys. Healesville Sanctuary, Author providedTree kangaroos have much longer forelimbs than their ground-dwelling cousins and their claws are much larger and strongly curved. This provides much stronger grip when climbing trees and gripping smaller branches.
They still have large strong hind limbs, but their feet are shorter, broader and have a long curved claw on each toe.
The pad of the hindfoot is single, large and with prominent grooves, all of which enhance the animal’s grip when climbing and walking in the canopy. The tails of tree kangaroos aren’t capable of grasping things like a monkey’s, but they’re long and often held out behind the animal for balance.
But perhaps one of the most obvious differences between tree kangaroos and their terrestrial cousins is their adorably small bear-like ears.
Threatened with extinction
Two species of tree kangaroos are found in the forests of northeast Australia and 12 species in the jungles of New Guinea. All species of tree kangaroos are threatened with extinction in New Guinea, although much about these animals is unknown.
The current population size is unknown, but this species of tree kangaroo is thought to be declining in the wild. Healesville Sanctuary, Author providedTraditionally hunted for food, hassled by dogs and threatened by the destruction of their forest habitat, the soft thud of tree roo feet among the trees is falling silent.
But conservation work in their natural habitat and through a globally managed tree kangaroo captive breeding program is helping not only the species, but the people who live alongside them.
Baby Chimbu – a new hope
Chimbu was born in Victoria, but is really an international fellow. His mother Mani came from the National Zoo and Aquarium in Canberra, and his father Bagam arriving from Kreffeld Zoo in Germany.
Baby Chimbu brings hope to a species nearing extinction. Healesville Sanctuary, Author providedMani and Bagam were paired based on the recommendation of scientists and managers who maintain a studbook of Goodfellow’s tree kangaroos around the world.
These gorgeous animals are generally chocolate brown on the back, shading to pale brown or cream on the face and belly, and often with a single or double narrow pale stripe down the back.
Their beautiful striped tails are one of their most noticeable features. And while the current population size is unknown, this tree kangaroo is thought to be declining due to hunting for food, local trading for cultural purposes, and habitat destruction through local deforestation and shifting cultivation.
Chimbu ventured out of his mum’s pouch to sample some tasty salad. Healesville Sanctuary, Author providedAn international network of captive tree kangaroos helps conserve this species. Healesville Sanctuary, Author providedAlthough the Goodfellow’s tree kangaroos are officially endangered, we don’t know much about them in the wild. Right now, the Wildlife Conservation Society is working out how many are in the wild and where, so scientists can develop a detailed conservation program.
Written by Marissa Parrott, Reproductive Biologist, Wildlife Conservation & Science, Zoos Victoria, and Honorary Research Associate, BioSciences, The University of Melbourne. This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.
Read about other endangered tree kangaroos from Papua New Guinea on Palm Oil Detectives
These animals face threats including palm oil and coffee deforestation and hunting. Never fear – there are ways you can help.
Seri’s Tree Kangaroo Dendrolagus stellarum
Doria’s Tree Kangaroo Dendrolagus dorianus
Lowlands Tree Kangaroo Dendrolagus spadix
Grizzled Tree Kangaroo Dendrolagus inustus
Huon Tree Kangaroo Dendrolagus matschiei
Vogelkop Tree Kangaroo Dendrolagus ursinus
Goodfellow’s Tree Kangaroo Dendrolagus goodfellowi
Golden-mantled Tree Kangaroo Dendrolagus pulcherrimus
Black Dorcopsis Dorcopsis atrata
How can I help the #Boycott4Wildlife?
Take Action in Five Ways
1. Join the #Boycott4Wildlife on social media and subscribe to stay in the loop: Share posts from this website to your own network on Twitter, Mastadon, Instagram, Facebook and Youtube using the hashtags #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife.
Enter your email address
Sign Up
Join 1,398 other subscribers2. Contribute stories: Academics, conservationists, scientists, indigenous rights advocates and animal rights advocates working to expose the corruption of the palm oil industry or to save animals can contribute stories to the website.
Mel Lumby: Dedicated Devotee to Borneo’s Living Beings
Anthropologist and Author Dr Sophie Chao
Health Physician Dr Evan Allen
The World’s Most Loved Cup: A Social, Ethical & Environmental History of Coffee by Aviary Doert
How do we stop the world’s ecosystems from going into a death spiral? A #SteadyState Economy
3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.
https://twitter.com/CuriousApe4/status/1526136783557529600?s=20
https://twitter.com/PhillDixon1/status/1749010345555788144?s=20
https://twitter.com/mugabe139/status/1678027567977078784?s=20
4. Take to the streets: Get in touch with Palm Oil Detectives to find out more.
5. Donate: Make a one-off or monthly donation to Palm Oil Detectives as a way of saying thank you and to help pay for ongoing running costs of the website and social media campaigns. Donate here
Pledge your support#animalBehaviour #AnimalBiodiversityNews #animals #Boycott4wildlife #BoycottPalmOil #coffee #deforestation #Dendrolagus #endangered #GoodfellowSTreeKangarooDendrolagusGoodfellowi #herbivore #herbivores #kangaroo #Mammal #mammals #Marsupial #mining #palmoil #Papua #PapuaNewGuinea #PapuaNewGuineaSpeciesEndangeredByPalmOilDeforestation #PapuaNewGuinea #TreeKangaroo #treekangaroos #vegan
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Vordermann’s Flying Squirrel Petinomys vordermanni
Vordermann’s Flying Squirrel Petinomys vordermanni
Red List Status: Vulnerable
Locations: Malaysia (Peninsular Malaysia), Indonesia (Borneo, Belitung Island, Riau Islands), Myanmar (southern regions), Brunei
In #Borneo’s twilight, the Vordermann’s flying #squirrel emerges from her nest, resplendent with orange cheeks and black-ringed eyes. This small, #nocturnal #mammal is a master of the rainforest canopy. They use an ingenious membrane called a patagium to effortlessly glide between trees. A flying squirrel’s world is one of constant motion and quiet vigilance. Don’t let this world disappear! The forests that sustain them are vanishing at an alarming rate. Palm oil-driven deforestation, logging, and land conversion are tearing through their habitat, leaving only fragmented forest. Use your wallet as a weapon and #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife.
Vordermann’s Flying #Squirrels 🪽🦦🤎 are spectacular gliding #mammals of #Borneo who are #vulnerable due to #palmoil #deforestation in #Malaysia 🇲🇾 and #Indonesia 🇮🇩 Support them and #BoycottPalmOil 🌴🩸🚜🔥☠️❌ #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://palmoildetectives.com/2021/02/05/vordermanns-flying-squirrel-petinomys-vordermanni/
Share to BlueSky Share to TwitterAppearance and Behaviour
Vordermann’s flying squirrel is one of the smallest flying squirrels, with a head and body length of 92–120 millimetres and a tail of equal length, weighing between 22 and 52 grams. Their fur is a striking mix of black with rusty tips, and their underparts are a soft, rusty white. Each eye is ringed with black, and their orange cheeks and tufts of whiskers beneath the ears give them a distinctive, expressive face. The squirrel’s patagium—a skin flap between the limbs is like an airborne sail. Meanwhile their flattened bushy tail is akin to an airborne rudder helping them with precise movements through the air.
Vordermann’s flying squirrel is strictly nocturnal and arboreal, spending their days hidden in tree holes and emerging at night to forage and glide. They are agile climbers, using their sharp claws and keen senses to navigate the dense canopy. Their glides are silent and graceful, covering distances of several metres between trees. The squirrel’s world is one of constant movement and quiet communication, with little known about their social structure or vocalisations. Their nests are typically found 0.3 to 6 metres above the ground, often in partially cut primary forest, secondary forest, or forest bordering swamps.
Threats
This squirrel is threatened by forest loss due to logging and agricultural conversion.
IUCN Red list
Palm oil and other industrial agriculture
Vordermann’s flying squirrel is classified as Vulnerable on the Red List, with habitat loss the primary threat to their survival. Across Malaysia, Borneo, and Sumatra, forests are being cleared for palm oil plantations and agricultural expansion. These industrial-scale operations strip away the dense, multi-layered vegetation that the squirrel depends on for food and shelter. The once-continuous canopy is reduced to isolated patches, forcing squirrels into ever-smaller territories and increasing competition for resources.
Roads, infrastructure and timber logging
Logging operations further fragment the remaining forest habitat of Vordermann’s flying squirrel. Roads and clearings cut through the forest, severing the connections that squirrels rely on for movement and foraging. Fragmentation isolates populations, reducing genetic diversity and increasing vulnerability to disease and environmental change. In many areas, only small, isolated groups of squirrels remain, cut off from neighbouring populations by expanses of cleared land.
Hunting and illegal pet trade
While hunting and the illegal pet trade are not explicitly cited as major threats for Vordermann’s flying squirrel in current literature, the broader context of wildlife exploitation in Southeast Asia raises concerns. Any increase in human activity and access to remote forests could put additional pressure on this already vulnerable species.
Climate change and pollution
Climate change adds further pressure, altering rainfall patterns and the availability of food. The squirrel’s world is becoming hotter, drier, and less predictable, with the forests they depend on shrinking year by year. Extreme weather events, such as floods and droughts, can destroy habitat and isolate populations even further. Pollution from mining and agriculture can poison rivers and soil, further degrading the squirrel’s environment.
Diet
Vordermann’s flying squirrel is omnivorous, feeding on a variety of plant materials, including fruits, seeds, leaves, and bark, as well as insects and other small invertebrates. Their foraging is a quiet, nocturnal activity, carried out in the safety of the canopy. The rhythm of their feeding is woven into the life of the forest, as they play a vital role in seed dispersal and the regeneration of their ecosystem. The availability of food is closely tied to the health of the forest, and the loss of habitat threatens their ability to find enough to eat.
Reproduction and Mating
Vordermann’s flying squirrel is monogamous, with each female mating with a single male. Breeding occurs seasonally, typically in the spring months of February and March, and can extend into April. Females give birth to one to three young per litter, usually in tree holes. The gestation period and time to weaning are not well documented, but in similar species, mothers provide food and milk for several weeks until the young are able to forage on their own. Cooperative breeding may occur, with other group members assisting in the care of the young, but the exact social structure of Vordermann’s flying squirrel remains poorly understood.
Geographic Range
Vordermann’s flying squirrel is found in the lowland rainforests of southern Myanmar, Peninsular Malaysia, Borneo, and the Indonesian islands of Belitung and Riau. Their habitat includes primary and secondary forests, orchards, rubber plantations, and forests bordering swamps. The squirrel’s historical range has contracted due to deforestation and human encroachment, and they are now restricted to the few remaining patches of suitable habitat. The sounds of Vordermann’s flying squirrel—rustling leaves and silent glides—are now heard in fewer and fewer places.
FAQs
How many Vordermann’s flying squirrels are left?
There are no precise population estimates for Vordermann’s flying squirrel, but their numbers are believed to be declining due to ongoing habitat loss and fragmentation. The species is listed as Vulnerable on the Red List, with a suspected population decline of more than 30% over three generations. The squirrel’s survival is threatened by the continued destruction of their forest home.
What are the characteristics of Vordermann’s flying squirrel?
Vordermann’s flying squirrel is one of the smallest flying squirrels, with a head and body length of 92–120 millimetres and a weight of 22–52 grams. They have striking black fur with rusty tips, a white underside, and distinctive orange cheeks with black rings around their eyes. Their flattened, bushy tail and patagium allow them to glide silently through the forest canopy. Vordermann’s flying squirrel is strictly nocturnal and arboreal, spending their days in tree holes and emerging at night to forage.
Where does the Vordermann’s flying squirrel live?
Vordermann’s flying squirrel is found in the lowland rainforests of southern Myanmar, Peninsular Malaysia, Borneo, and the Indonesian islands of Belitung and Riau. They inhabit primary and secondary forests, orchards, rubber plantations, and forests bordering swamps. Their historical range has contracted due to deforestation and human encroachment, and they are now restricted to the few remaining patches of suitable habitat.
What are the threats to the survival of the Vordermann’s flying squirrel?
The main threats to the survival of Vordermann’s flying squirrel are habitat loss and fragmentation caused by palm oil-driven deforestation, logging, and agricultural expansion. The forests of Malaysia, Borneo, and Sumatra are being cleared at an alarming rate, leaving only isolated patches where the squirrel can survive. Fragmentation isolates populations, reducing genetic diversity and increasing vulnerability to disease and environmental change. Climate change and pollution add further pressure, altering the availability of food and shelter.
Do Vordermann’s flying squirrels make a good pets?
Vordermann’s flying squirrels most definitely do not make good pets. Captivity causes extreme stress, loneliness, and early death for these highly specialised forest animals. The illegal pet trade rips families apart and fuels extinction, as animals are stolen from their natural habitat and forced into unnatural, impoverished conditions. Protecting Vordermann’s flying squirrel means rejecting the illegal pet trade and supporting their right to live wild and free in their forest home.
Take Action!
Use your wallet as a weapon and #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife. Support indigenous-led conservation and agroecology. Reject products linked to deforestation, mining, and the illegal wildlife trade. Adopt a #vegan lifestyle and #BoycottMeat to protect wild and farmed animals alike. Every choice matters—stand with Vordermann’s flying squirrel and defend the forests of Southeast Asia.
Support the conservation of this species
This animal has no protections in place. Read about other forgotten species here. Create art to support this forgotten animal or raise awareness about them by sharing this post and using the #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife hashtags on social media. Also you can boycott palm oil in the supermarket.
Further Information
Clayton, E. 2016. Petinomys vordermanni (errata version published in 2017). The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T16740A115139026. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T16740A22241246.en. Downloaded on 04 February 2021.
Wikipedia. (n.d.). Vordermann’s flying squirrel. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vordermann%27s_flying_squirrel
Wilson, D. E., Lacher, T. E., & Mittermeier, R. A. (2016). Sciuridae, Handbook of the Mammals of the World – Volume 6 Lagomorphs and Rodents I. Lynx Edicions. https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6840226
Vordermann’s Flying Squirrel Petinomys vordermanni
Caption: This beautiful painting is by My YM
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https://twitter.com/CuriousApe4/status/1526136783557529600?s=20
https://twitter.com/PhillDixon1/status/1749010345555788144?s=20
https://twitter.com/mugabe139/status/1678027567977078784?s=20
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Pledge your support#Borneo #Boycott4wildlife #BoycottMeat #BoycottPalmOil #Brunei #climateChange #deforestation #ForgottenAnimals #glidingMammal #hunting #illegalPetTrade #Indonesia #Malaysia #Mammal #mammals #Myanmar #nocturnal #omnivore #omnivores #palmOilDeforestation #palmoil #PapuaNewGuineaSpeciesEndangeredByPalmOilDeforestation #SouthEastAsia #Squirrel #Squirrels #timber #vegan #VordermannSFlyingSquirrelPetinomysVordermanni #vulnerable #VulnerableSpecies
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Lowlands Tree Kangaroo Dendrolagus spadix
Lowlands Tree Kangaroo Dendrolagus spadix
IUCN Status: Vulnerable
Location: The Lowlands Tree Kangaroo is native to Papua New Guinea, found in the limestone karst forests of the Gulf and Western provinces. These dense, humid jungles are difficult to traverse, providing a natural refuge for this elusive species. However, increased human access due to roads and logging threatens their survival.
The Lowlands Tree #Kangaroo Dendrolagus spadix is a #Vulnerable species endemic to the forests of #PapuaNewGuinea. Unlike their ground-dwelling relatives, they are agile climbers, leaping through lush rainforest canopies with ease despite their bulky size. However, their survival is in peril due to widespread #deforestation driven by #palmoil plantations, #timber logging, and expansion of #roads, which has led to habitat destruction and increased #hunting pressures. If urgent action is not taken, this unique species faces further decline. Take action and resist for this species every time you shop and go #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife in the supermarket.
The Lowlands #TreeKangaroo 🦘🤎 is a #vulnerable #marsupial of #PapuaNewGuinea’s rainforests 🌳🇵🇬 threatened by #PalmOil, #mining #deforestation and #hunting. Help them to survive when you shop #BoycottPalmOil 🌴☠️🔥🧐🙊⛔️ #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://palmoildetectives.com/2021/02/03/lowlands-tree-kangaroo-dendrolagus-spadix/
Share to BlueSky Share to TwitterDespite their chunky size, Lowlands Tree #Kangaroos 🦘 are able to leap many metres. They’re #vulnerable due to #palmoil and #hunting in #PapuaNewGuinea. Fight for them when you shop, go #PalmOilFree and #BoycottPalmOil 🌴🚫#Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://palmoildetectives.com/2021/02/03/lowlands-tree-kangaroo-dendrolagus-spadix/
Share to BlueSky Share to TwitterAppearance & Behaviour
The Lowlands Tree Kangaroo is a striking, muscular marsupial with a dense coat of rich auburn, fading to golden hues on their belly and limbs. Unlike their ground-dwelling kangaroo relatives, they are built for life in the treetops, with stocky limbs, powerful claws, and an impressively long tail used for balance.
Watching a Lowlands Tree Kangaroo move is a surreal experience. On the ground, they amble in an almost bear-like gait, placing one foot in front of the other in a slow, deliberate waddle. Yet, when they climb, they transform into graceful acrobats, using their strong forelimbs to hoist themselves into the canopy with surprising ease. Despite their bulky build, they can leap remarkable distances between branches, navigating the dense jungle with grace.
Appearance & Behaviour
Largely solitary, these secretive tree-dwellers emerge at dusk to forage, preferring the cool, shadowy undergrowth or the safety of high branches. Their excellent camouflage and quiet nature make them incredibly difficult to spot in the wild.
Diet
The Lowlands Tree Kangaroo is a dedicated folivore, primarily feasting on a variety of leaves, fruits, flowers, and occasionally fungi. Their slow metabolism allows them to extract maximum nutrition from their fibrous diet. However, their reliance on specific plants means that large-scale deforestation can have devastating consequences, cutting off vital food sources.
Logging and land clearing for palm oil plantations pose a severe threat by destroying primary forests and forcing these marsupials into fragmented, less suitable habitats.
Reproduction & Mating
The Lowlands Tree Kangaroo has a slow reproductive rate, with females typically giving birth to a single tiny, jellybean-sized joey. This vulnerable newborn crawls into their mother’s pouch, where they remain hidden for several months. Even after emerging, the joey clings to their mother’s back for up to a year, learning essential survival skills before venturing out on their own.
This slow, careful nurturing process makes the species highly vulnerable to population declines. When individuals are lost due to hunting or habitat destruction, it takes a long time for their numbers to recover.
Threats
Deforestation & Habitat Loss
The Lowlands Tree Kangaroo’s biggest threat is habitat destruction caused by industrial logging and land clearing. A staggering 75% of their range is now covered by logging concessions, leading to habitat fragmentation and food shortages (IUCN, 2016).
Palm Oil & Infrastructure Development
The expansion of palm oil plantations is devastating for the species, as vast stretches of forest are cleared for monoculture crops. New roads built for logging and petroleum extraction have also opened up previously inaccessible regions, leading to increased human encroachment.
Hunting & Increased Human Access
Traditionally, hunting of the Lowlands Tree Kangaroo was limited due to the rugged and remote nature of their habitat. However, as roads now cut into once-inaccessible forests, hunting pressure has escalated. While local communities have long relied on the species as a food source, increased access has made hunting more widespread and unsustainable.
FAQs
Where do Lowlands Tree Kangaroos live?
The Lowlands Tree Kangaroo is native to Papua New Guinea, specifically found in the limestone karst forests of the Gulf and Western provinces. These forests are rugged and remote, providing some protection from human encroachment, though logging and road expansion are rapidly changing their habitat.
Why are Lowlands Tree Kangaroos endangered?
They are classified as Vulnerable due to habitat destruction, hunting, and increased human access to their previously isolated range. Over 75% of their habitat is now covered by logging and palm oil concessions, and road construction has led to an increase in hunting pressure. Palm oil plantations also contribute to large-scale deforestation, further reducing their numbers (IUCN, 2016).
What do Lowlands Tree Kangaroos eat?
Their diet consists mainly of leaves, fruits, flowers, and occasionally fungi. They rely on a slow metabolism to extract nutrients from fibrous plants, meaning they are particularly vulnerable to habitat destruction that removes key food sources.
Are Lowlands Tree Kangaroos social animals?
No, they are primarily solitary. Unlike ground-dwelling kangaroos, they do not form large groups. They prefer to navigate the dense rainforest canopy alone, only coming together briefly for mating.
Do they move like regular kangaroos?
In some ways they do, but in other ways they don’t. While ground-dwelling kangaroos hop over long distances on the ground, Lowlands Tree Kangaroos move in a slow, deliberate manner, placing one foot in front of the other, much like a bear. In trees, however, they are surprisingly agile, using their strong limbs to grip to tree branches and their long tails and strong legs to leap between branches. They are able to leap several metres at a time between tree canopies and can descend from trees up to 20 metres without injury.
Are Lowlands Tree Kangaroos hunted?
Yes, they are traditionally hunted by local communities for food. However, this was historically sustainable due to the remote nature of their habitat. Now, with new roads making hunting easier, populations are at risk of decline.
How does palm oil deforestation affect them?
Palm oil plantations are a major driver of deforestation in Papua New Guinea, destroying vast areas of rainforest. As the trees are cleared, Lowlands Tree Kangaroos lose their food sources and shelter, forcing them into smaller, fragmented habitats where they are more vulnerable to hunting and other threats.
How long do baby Lowlands Tree Kangaroos stay with their mothers?
Joeys stay in their mother’s pouch for several months before emerging. Even after leaving the pouch, they cling to their mother’s back and remain dependent on her for nearly a year. This slow reproductive cycle makes population recovery difficult if too many individuals are lost.
What can be done to protect them?
- Boycott products containing palm oil, which is a major threat to their continued existence.
- Support indigenous land rights, as traditional landowners help protect these forests.
- • Donate to conservation groups working to protect Papua New Guinea’s forests such as Tenkile.
- • Raise awareness by sharing information about the threats they face.
Are tree kangaroos protected by law?
While tree kangaroos are recognised as vulnerable species, weak enforcement of conservation laws in Papua New Guinea and the expansion of industrial projects continue to put them at risk. Conservation efforts must focus on habitat protection and stronger regulations against deforestation and hunting.
How can I help tree kangaroos from home?
- Always choose products that are 100% palm oil-free to avoid contributing to deforestation and biodiversity loss.
- Spread awareness on social media using hashtags like #BoycottPalmOil and #Boycott4Wildlife.
- Support conservation projects that work to protect Papua New Guinea’s forests and wildlife.
Take Action!
The survival of the Lowlands Tree Kangaroo depends on urgent conservation action. You can help by:
- Boycotting palm oil products and choosing brands that do not contribute to deforestation.
- Advocating for indigenous land rights, as traditional landowners play a key role in protecting these forests.
- Supporting conservation organisations that fight against logging and land conversion in Papua New Guinea.
- Raising awareness about the threats facing the Lowlands Tree Kangaroo by sharing information on social media using the hashtags #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife
You can support the conservation of this animal:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WAiBl_b2cE
There are now logging concessions over almost 75% of the species inferred range. There has presumably been significant habitat disturbance and reduction in habitat quality as a result of logging
IUCN Red List
Further Information
Leary, T., Seri, L., Wright, D., Hamilton, S., Helgen, K., Singadan, R., Menzies, J., Allison, A., James, R., Dickman, C., Aplin, K., Salas, L., Flannery, T. & Bonaccorso, F. 2016. Dendrolagus spadix. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T6436A21956250. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-2.RLTS.T6436A21956250.en. Downloaded on 03 February 2021.
McGreevy, T. J., Dabek, L., & Husband, T. P. (2011). Tree kangaroo molecular systematics based on partial cytochrome b sequences: are Matschie’s tree kangaroo (Dendrolagus matschiei) and Goodfellow’s tree kangaroo (D. goodfellowi buergersi) sister taxa? Australian Mammalogy, 34(1), 18-28. https://doi.org/10.1071/AM10017
You can support the conservation of this animal:
Lowlands Tree Kangaroo Dendrolagus spadix
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Take Action in Five Ways
1. Join the #Boycott4Wildlife on social media and subscribe to stay in the loop: Share posts from this website to your own network on Twitter, Mastadon, Instagram, Facebook and Youtube using the hashtags #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife.
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Join 3,529 other subscribers2. Contribute stories: Academics, conservationists, scientists, indigenous rights advocates and animal rights advocates working to expose the corruption of the palm oil industry or to save animals can contribute stories to the website.
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Health Physician Dr Evan Allen
The World’s Most Loved Cup: A Social, Ethical & Environmental History of Coffee by Aviary Doert
How do we stop the world’s ecosystems from going into a death spiral? A #SteadyState Economy
3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.
https://twitter.com/CuriousApe4/status/1526136783557529600?s=20
https://twitter.com/PhillDixon1/status/1749010345555788144?s=20
https://twitter.com/mugabe139/status/1678027567977078784?s=20
4. Take to the streets: Get in touch with Palm Oil Detectives to find out more.
5. Donate: Make a one-off or monthly donation to Palm Oil Detectives as a way of saying thank you and to help pay for ongoing running costs of the website and social media campaigns. Donate here
Pledge your support#Boycott4wildlife #BoycottPalmOil #deforestation #hunting #Indonesia #kangaroo #Kangaroos #LowlandsTreeKangarooDendrolagusSpadix #Macropod #Mammal #Marsupial #mining #palmoil #palmoilfree #PapuaNewGuineaSpeciesEndangeredByPalmOilDeforestation #PapuaNewGuinea #roads #timber #TreeKangaroo #vulnerable #VulnerableSpecies
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Bougainville Moustached Kingfisher Actenoides bougainvillei
Bougainville Moustached Kingfisher Actenoides bougainvillei
Endangered
Location: Endemic to Bougainville Island and nearby islets in Papua New Guinea
The Bougainville moustached kingfisher (Actenoides bougainvillei) is a striking and enigmatic bird found exclusively on Bougainville Island, Papua New Guinea. With their vibrant blue and orange plumage, handsome black moustached stripe, and striking beak, these birds are icons of the island’s biodiversity.
This species is classified as Endangered by the IUCN, with fewer than 2,500 mature individuals estimated to remain. Their population continues to decline due to habitat loss from logging, palm oil agriculture, and Indonesian colonial settlement. Fight for their survival by boycotting palm oil and supporting Papuan indigenous sovereignty. #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife
The cheeky colourful Bougainville Moustached Kingfisher 🦜🇵🇬 lives in #PapuaNewGuinea and #WestPapua #rainforest, endangered by #palmoil #deforestation. Boycott the brands destroying their home #BoycottPalmOil @palmoildetect #Boycott4Wildlife https://palmoildetectives.com/2021/01/31/bougainville-moustached-kingfisher-actenoides-bougainvillei/
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Bougainville Moustached Kingfisher by J. G. Keulemans print from 1905.Currently, the species’ montane forest habitat is above the altitude usually affected by logging or clearance for subsistence gardens.
IUCN Red List
Appearance and Behaviour
The Bougainville moustached kingfisher is a medium-sized bird, measuring approximately 31 cm in length and weighing around 170–190 grams. Males are distinguished by their vibrant blue upperparts, orange underparts, and a striking black moustachial stripe extending from the base of the bill. Females are duller, with greenish plumage replacing the vibrant blue.
These kingfishers are secretive and solitary, typically perching in dense forest understories. They use their long, robust beak to hunt insects, small reptiles, and occasionally small birds. Their flight is swift but typically short, as they prefer moving between perches within their forest habitats.
Threats
IUCN Status: Endangered
Habitat Loss: Logging for timber and palm oil agriculture has led to significant deforestation on Bougainville Island, fragmenting the kingfisher’s already restricted range. Shifting agriculture practices further reduce the availability of suitable primary forest habitats.
Hunting and Trapping: Though not targeted specifically, these birds are sometimes caught in traps set for other animals, adding pressure to their declining population.
Climate Change: Changing weather patterns due to climate change may alter their habitat, reducing the availability of food sources and nesting sites.
Introduced pests: The Bougainville Moustached Kingfisher is potentially threatened by introduced rats and cats which are common even at high altitudes (Leary 1991).
Geographic Range
The Bougainville moustached kingfisher is endemic to Bougainville Island in Papua New Guinea and some adjacent islets. They are restricted to undisturbed lowland and montane forests, preferring primary forests between elevations of 300 and 1,000 metres.
Due to logging and habitat fragmentation, their range is shrinking, and they are increasingly confined to smaller, isolated forest patches.
Diet
These kingfishers are primarily carnivorous, feeding on a diet of insects, small reptiles, and amphibians. They have also been observed preying on small birds. Using their sharp beak, they perch silently before darting to capture their prey.
As habitat loss continues to diminish prey availability, their specialised diet places them at even greater risk.
Reproduction and Mating
Very little is known about the breeding habits of the Bougainville moustached kingfisher. Like other kingfishers, they are believed to nest in tree cavities or burrow into earthen banks. Clutch sizes are likely small, with only 2–3 eggs per season.
Habitat loss and fragmentation further reduce the availability of suitable nesting sites, making successful reproduction increasingly challenging.
Take Action!
The Bougainville moustached kingfisher is a symbol of the unique biodiversity of Bougainville Island. Protecting their forest habitat is vital for their survival. Support conservation efforts, boycott palm oil, and advocate for stronger protections against deforestation. Share their story to raise awareness of their plight. #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife
Further Information
BirdLife International. 2016. Actenoides bougainvillei. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T22726874A94934210. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22726874A94934210.en. Downloaded on 31 January 2021.
BirdLife International. (2022). Bougainville Moustached Kingfisher. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species.
Birds of the World. (2022). Bougainville Moustached Kingfisher. Birds of the World.
eBird. (2022). Bougainville Moustached Kingfisher. eBird.
Support the conservation of this species
Bougainville Moustached Kingfisher Actenoides bougainvillei
How can I help the #Boycott4Wildlife?
Take Action in Five Ways
1. Join the #Boycott4Wildlife on social media and subscribe to stay in the loop: Share posts from this website to your own network on Twitter, Mastadon, Instagram, Facebook and Youtube using the hashtags #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife.
Enter your email address
Sign Up
Join 1,396 other subscribers2. Contribute stories: Academics, conservationists, scientists, indigenous rights advocates and animal rights advocates working to expose the corruption of the palm oil industry or to save animals can contribute stories to the website.
Mel Lumby: Dedicated Devotee to Borneo’s Living Beings
Anthropologist and Author Dr Sophie Chao
Health Physician Dr Evan Allen
The World’s Most Loved Cup: A Social, Ethical & Environmental History of Coffee by Aviary Doert
How do we stop the world’s ecosystems from going into a death spiral? A #SteadyState Economy
3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.
https://twitter.com/CuriousApe4/status/1526136783557529600?s=20
https://twitter.com/PhillDixon1/status/1749010345555788144?s=20
https://twitter.com/mugabe139/status/1678027567977078784?s=20
4. Take to the streets: Get in touch with Palm Oil Detectives to find out more.
5. Donate: Make a one-off or monthly donation to Palm Oil Detectives as a way of saying thank you and to help pay for ongoing running costs of the website and social media campaigns. Donate here
Pledge your support#Australia #Bird #BougainvilleMoustachedKingfisherActenoidesBougainvillei #Boycott4wildlife #BoycottPalmOil #deforestation #EndangeredSpecies #palmoil #PapuaNewGuineaSpeciesEndangeredByPalmOilDeforestation #PapuaNewGuinea #rainforest #WestPapua
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Ifola Dendrolagus notatus
IUCN Red List Status: Endangered
Locations: Papua New Guinea, Indonesian-occupied West Papua
Ifolas are gentle forest-dwelling ＃marsupials of the tree #kangaroo genus ＃Dendrolagus in ＃PapuaNewGuinea 🦘🦘🤎. Endangered due to ＃palmoil ＃deforestation. Say no to palm oil and ＃BoycottPalmOil 🌴🪔☠️🤮⛔️ ＃Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://palmoildetectives.com/2021/01/31/ifola-dendrolagus-notatus/
Share to BlueSky Share to TwitterIfolas are gentle tree #kangaroos on the edge of #extinction in ＃WestPapua and ＃PapuaNewGuinea 🇵🇬🦘🦘🤎 due to hunting and ＃PalmOil ＃deforestation. Say no to palm oil when you shop! ＃BoycottPalmOil 🌴🪔🙈🚫🤮＃Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://palmoildetectives.com/2021/01/31/ifola-dendrolagus-notatus/
Share to BlueSky Share to TwitterThe Ifola, a rare and little-known #marsupial tree kangaroo, inhabits the tropical montane forests of the Fakfak Mountains in Papua New Guinea and Indonesian-occupied West Papua. First identified as a distinct species in 1993, this remarkable marsupial is part of the genus Dendrolagus, known for their arboreal lifestyle. With their restricted range and vulnerability to habitat loss, Ifola are at significant risk due to palm oil deforestation, gold mining, and other human activities encroaching on their high-altitude homes. Their survival is tied to the preservation of the rich, biodiverse forests they call home. #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife
Appearance and Behaviour
The Ifola are strikingly agile and robust tree kangaroos, characterised by their reddish-brown coat, paler underparts, and a long, bushy tail. Their strong claws and muscular limbs are perfectly adapted for climbing the dense rainforest branches of , allowing them to thrive in the dense canopies of tropical forests (IUCN, 2015).
These shy and solitary animals are known for their elusive nature, often avoiding human contact. Primarily nocturnal, Ifola are adept at navigating the upper canopy, where they forage and rest, blending seamlessly into their environment (Tenkile Conservation Alliance, n.d.).
Diet
The Ifola’s diet consists primarily of leaves, which they supplement with fruits, flowers, and other vegetation. Their folivorous habits allow them to exploit a specialised niche in their montane forest habitat. However, their reliance on forest resources makes them particularly vulnerable to habitat destruction (IUCN, 2015).
Reproduction and Mating
As with many marsupial tree kangaroo species, there is limited information about the reproductive behaviours of Ifola. They are likely to have a low reproductive rate, with females giving birth to a single joey that remains in the pouch for several months. After giving birth, they are suspected to have an 18 month dependency period before the female is ready to breed again. This slow reproduction makes population recovery challenging, especially under current threats (IUCN, 2015; Tenkile Conservation Alliance, n.d.).
Geographic Range
The Ifola are endemic to the Fakfak Mountains in the Bird’s Head Peninsula of Indonesian-occupied West Papua. They are found in a narrow range of tropical montane forests, typically between 1,000 and 2,000 metres above sea level (IUCN, 2015). This limited distribution places them at heightened risk from habitat destruction and environmental changes.
Their habitat has been heavily impacted by logging, mining, and the expansion of palm oil plantations, further reducing their already restricted range (Palm Oil Detectives, 2021).
Threats
This incredibly rare tree kangaroo is listed as Endangered because they are suspected to have undergone at least a 50% population reduction in the last three generations (i.e., 30 years) that has not ceased, due mainly to hunting pressures and loss of habitat.
Palm Oil and Timber Deforestation: Logging and agricultural expansion, including out-of-control palm oil plantations, are destroying their habitat at an alarming rate (IUCN, 2015).
Gold Mining: Extractive industries pose a significant threat to the montane forests they depend on.
Climate Change: Rising temperatures threaten to shrink the high-altitude forests where they thrive, pushing them into even smaller ranges.
Take Action!
Protecting the Ifola requires urgent action to preserve their montane forest habitat. Support indigenous-led conservation initiatives in West Papua and choose products free from palm oil and deforestation. Adopting a vegan lifestyle and using your voice to advocate for the protection of biodiverse ecosystems are vital steps to ensure their survival. #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife #Vegan
The Ifola is threatened by heavy hunting for food with dogs by local people (it has disappeared from the Schrader Range). They are also threatened by loss of habitat due to agriculture (shifting cultivation) and deforestation due to logging.
IUCN Red List
Further Information
Leary, T., Seri, L., Flannery, T., Wright, D., Hamilton, S., Helgen, K., Singadan, R., Menzies, J., Allison, A. & James, R. 2016. Dendrolagus notatus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T136732A21957010. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-2.RLTS.T136732A21957010.en. Downloaded on 31 January 2021.
Palm Oil Detectives. (2021). Ifola Tree Kangaroo. Retrieved from https://palmoildetectives.com/2021/01/31/ifola-dendrolagus-notatus/
Tenkile Conservation Alliance. (n.d.). Ifola Tree Kangaroo. Retrieved from https://tenkile.com/ifola-tree-kangaroo
Support the conservation of this species
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Take Action in Five Ways
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3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.
https://twitter.com/CuriousApe4/status/1526136783557529600?s=20
https://twitter.com/PhillDixon1/status/1749010345555788144?s=20
https://twitter.com/mugabe139/status/1678027567977078784?s=20
4. Take to the streets: Get in touch with Palm Oil Detectives to find out more.
5. Donate: Make a one-off or monthly donation to Palm Oil Detectives as a way of saying thank you and to help pay for ongoing running costs of the website and social media campaigns. Donate here
Pledge your support#Boycott4wildlife #BoycottPalmOil #deforestation #destruction #EndangeredSpecies #extinction #IfolaDendrolagusNotatus #Indonesian #kangaroo #Kangaroos #Macropod #Mammal #Marsupial #palmoil #PapuaNewGuineaSpeciesEndangeredByPalmOilDeforestation #PapuaNewGuinea #vegan
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Louisiade Woolly Bat Kerivoula agnella
Louisiade Woolly Bat Kerivoula agnell
IUCN Red List Status: Endangered
Location: The Louisiade Woolly Bat is endemic to Papua New Guinea, specifically to the islands of the Louisiade Archipelago, including Sudest (Vanatinai) and Tagula.
Also known as St. Aignan’s Trumpet-Eared Bat, the Louisiade Woolly Bat is a rare and enigmatic species. Recognised for their soft, wool-like fur and distinct trumpet-shaped ears, these bats are essential to their ecosystems as insect controllers and forest health indicators.
However, their survival is increasingly threatened and they are now listed as endangered on IUCN Red List. Habitat destruction from logging, agriculture, and development is fragmenting their limited range. Without conservation efforts, this delicate species may face extinction. Protect their habitat and biodiversity: #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife.
The delicate and tiny Louisiade Wooly #Bat 🦇🖤with trumpet-like 👂🎺ears is #endangered in #PapuaNewGuinea 🇵🇬 from #palmoil and #pesticide #pollution. Help save this forgotten species when you #BoycottPalmOil 🌴💀🔥🚫 #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://wp.me/pcFhgU-sV
Share to BlueSky Share to TwitterThe major threat to this species is forest degradation, clearance and conversion to plantations or gardens. Pesticide use in oil palm plantations might pose a secondary threat.
IUCN Red List
Progressive declines and extinctions of individual island populations also threaten the persistence of the species as a whole by limiting opportunities for natural or assisted reintroductions.
Appearance and Behaviour
The Louisiade Woolly Bat, also called St. Aignan’s Trumpet-Eared Bat, is a small, delicately built bat with a body length of 4–5 cm and a wingspan of about 25 cm. Their dense, woolly fur varies from pale grey-brown to golden, providing excellent camouflage in their forest environment. Their namesake trumpet-shaped ears are highly sensitive, aiding in echolocation to navigate and hunt insects.
This nocturnal species is active in dense forest canopies, using their remarkable agility to hunt small, flying insects. During the day, they roost in tree hollows, beneath bark, or in dense foliage, relying on their cryptic colouring to remain hidden from predators.
Threats
The Louisiade Woolly Bat (Kerivoula agnella) faces mounting threats from habitat destruction, pesticide use, and human activities across their limited island range.
Deforestation for palm oil and timber
Throughout the Louisiade Archipelago, forest degradation and clearance for palm oil agriculture is the most pressing threat. On Fergusson Island, forests below 200 metres have been degraded over generations by subsistence farming and frequent fires, while logging concessions cover nearly half the island, further shrinking the bat’s habitat. Woodlark Island has seen similar impacts, with large areas cleared for palm oil and mining, leaving fragmented patches of secondary forest. On Misima Island, former gold mining operations and increasing human activity have significantly degraded forest cover, while Sudest Island remains a rare stronghold with relatively intact forests at higher elevations.
Pesticide and run-off pollution from palm oil plantations
The increasing use of pesticides and herbicides across these islands is a huge threat to the Louisiade Woolly Bat. These chemicals may harm insect populations, their primary food source, while also potentially poisoning the bats directly. As agriculture expands, the reliance on these harmful chemicals continues to rise, further jeopardising the species.
Climate Change
Rising temperatures and altered rainfall patterns threaten the forest ecosystems these bats depend on. Changes in insect populations caused by climate change could further jeopardise their food sources.
Small and Isolated Population
With populations confined to small, isolated islands, the Louisiade Woolly Bat is at high risk of extinction. Habitat fragmentation caused by logging and palm oil agriculture limits their ability to move between areas, reduces genetic diversity, and increases the likelihood of localised population collapses.
Diet
The Louisiade Woolly Bat is insectivorous, preying on moths, beetles, flies, and other small, flying insects. They use echolocation to hunt within dense forest canopies and near water sources where insects are abundant.
Reproduction and Mating
Although specific details about the Louisiade Woolly Bat’s reproduction are unknown, it is likely that they follow similar patterns to other bats in the Kerivoula genus. Females likely give birth to a single pup each year, which remains dependent on the mother for several weeks until they can forage independently.
Geographic Range
This bat is endemic to Papua New Guinea’s Louisiade Archipelago, specifically on Sudest (Vanatinai) and Tagula islands. They are closely associated with lowland forests, where they rely on intact, undisturbed habitats for roosting and hunting.
FAQ
What are some interesting facts about woolly bats?
Woolly bats, such as the Louisiade Woolly Bat, are named for their dense, wool-like fur, which helps them blend into their forest surroundings. They are among the most agile bat species, able to navigate dense canopies with precision.
Where are woolly bats found?
Woolly bats are typically found in tropical and subtropical forests across Southeast Asia and the Pacific. The Louisiade Woolly Bat is restricted to the islands of Sudest and Tagula in the Louisiade Archipelago of Papua New Guinea.
Are woolly bats carnivores?
Woolly bats are insectivorous, feeding exclusively on small, flying insects such as moths, flies, and beetles.
Take Action!
The Louisiade Woolly Bat is a delicate, rare species whose survival depends on protecting Papua New Guinea’s forest ecosystems. Stand against habitat destruction caused by logging and agriculture: #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife.
You can support this beautiful animal
There are no known conservation activities for this animal. Share out this post to social media and join the #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife on social media to raise awareness
Further Information
Aplin, K. & Armstrong, K.D. 2020. Kerivoula agnella. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2020: e.T10968A21975540. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-3.RLTS.T10968A21975540.en. Downloaded on 31 January 2021.
Funakoshi, K., Fukui, D., Yamamoto, T., & Mizuno, M. (2015). Ecology and monogamous system of the painted woolly bat (Kerivoula picta) in Khon Kaen, Thailand. Mammal Study, 40(4), 207–216. https://doi.org/10.3106/041.040.0402
IgoTerra. (n.d.). Kerivoula agnella. Retrieved from https://igoterra.com/taxon/view/35788/Kerivoula-agnella
Wikipedia. (n.d.). St. Aignan’s Trumpet-Eared Bat. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Aignan%27s_trumpet-eared_bat
Louisiade Woolly Bat Kerivoula agnella
How can I help the #Boycott4Wildlife?
Take Action in Five Ways
1. Join the #Boycott4Wildlife on social media and subscribe to stay in the loop: Share posts from this website to your own network on Twitter, Mastadon, Instagram, Facebook and Youtube using the hashtags #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife.
Enter your email address
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Join 1,395 other subscribers2. Contribute stories: Academics, conservationists, scientists, indigenous rights advocates and animal rights advocates working to expose the corruption of the palm oil industry or to save animals can contribute stories to the website.
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The World’s Most Loved Cup: A Social, Ethical & Environmental History of Coffee by Aviary Doert
How do we stop the world’s ecosystems from going into a death spiral? A #SteadyState Economy
3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.
https://twitter.com/CuriousApe4/status/1526136783557529600?s=20
https://twitter.com/PhillDixon1/status/1749010345555788144?s=20
https://twitter.com/mugabe139/status/1678027567977078784?s=20
4. Take to the streets: Get in touch with Palm Oil Detectives to find out more.
5. Donate: Make a one-off or monthly donation to Palm Oil Detectives as a way of saying thank you and to help pay for ongoing running costs of the website and social media campaigns. Donate here
Pledge your support#Bat #Boycott4wildlife #BoycottPalmOil #deforestation #endangered #EndangeredSpecies #ForgottenAnimals #LouisiadeWoollyBatKerivoulaAgnella #Mammal #palmoil #PapuaNewGuineaSpeciesEndangeredByPalmOilDeforestation #PapuaNewGuinea #pesticide #pollution
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Black-naped Pheasant-pigeon Otidiphaps insularis
Black-naped Pheasant-pigeon Otidiphaps insularis
Red List Status: Critically Endangered
Location: Papua New Guinea
Region: Endemic to Fergusson Island in the D’Entrecasteaux Archipelago
Once thought to be extinct since its last sighting in 1882, the elusive Black-naped Pheasant-Pigeon was rediscovered in 2022 thanks to the collaboration of researchers and local communities. This large, ground-dwelling pigeon is now listed as Critically Endangered, with fewer than 250 mature individuals believed to remain. It lives exclusively in the hill and montane rainforests of Fergusson Island, which are under increasing pressure from logging, subsistence agriculture, and introduced predators such as rats, pigs, and potentially domestic cats. The species is also hunted by locals for food. Protecting this remarkable bird and its habitat is urgent. Use your voice and your wallet to help save them. #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife and be #Vegan
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vMHmZ3SyNJI
Thought #extinct but dramatically rediscovered in 2022 Black-naped Pheasant-pigeons are #endangered #birds 🐦 A threat is #palmoil #deforestation in #PapuaNewGuinea 🇵🇬 Help them when you shop #BoycottPalmOil 🌴🩸☠️⛔️ #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://palmoildetectives.com/2021/01/31/black-naped-pheasant-pigeon-otidiphaps-insularis/
Share to BlueSky Share to TwitterKnown locally as ‘Auwo’, Black-naped Pheasant-pigeons 🪿🐦 are #endangered #birds. A big threat is #palmoil #deforestation in #PapuaNewGuinea 🇵🇬 Fight back against their #extinction! #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife 🌴🩸☠️🧐🚫 @palmoildetect https://palmoildetectives.com/2021/01/31/black-naped-pheasant-pigeon-otidiphaps-insularis/
Share to BlueSky Share to TwitterAppearance and Behaviour
Also known locally as “Auwo”, the Black-naped Pheasant-Pigeon resembles a glossy pheasant in body shape, with a flattened tail and long legs adapted to a ground-dwelling lifestyle. Their plumage is a mix of iridescent green, bronze, and black, with a distinctive black nape from which they get their name. These shy birds move quietly through the undergrowth, foraging for seeds and fallen fruit. Unlike arboreal pigeons, they spend nearly all their time on the forest floor.
They are highly elusive and have only recently been captured on camera traps in remote highland forests. The behaviour of these illusive pheasant-pigeons is still not well studied, but they are presumed to be solitary or occur in low densities, making them extremely difficult to detect.
Diet
Black-naped Pheasant-Pigeons forage for fallen fruit and seeds on the forest floor. Their diet includes a wide variety of native fruiting plants, contributing to seed dispersal across fragmented montane habitats. While they can tolerate some disturbance, they disappear from forests where hunting is prevalent.
Reproduction and Mating
Little is known about their breeding behaviour of these birds, but like other Otidiphaps species, they are believed to nest on the ground. Recent local accounts suggest that active nests have been discovered in dense forest understories. Ground nesting makes them especially vulnerable to predation by invasive rats and pigs. Pheasant-pigeons lay one or two eggs, which are incubated on the forest floor under dense cover.
Geographic Range
The Black-naped Pheasant-Pigeon is endemic to Fergusson Island, part of the D’Entrecasteaux Archipelago of Papua New Guinea. Their known range includes the steep, rugged slopes of Mt Kilkerran and surrounding highland rainforest above 1,000 metres. No populations are known outside this single island. Despite recent rediscovery, the species is feared to be extremely rare and severely fragmented.
Threats
Logging of primary forest
Timber logging continues in central and eastern Fergusson Island, especially in the East Fergusson Timber Rights Purchase area, which resumed operations in 2012. Industrial logging threatens the bird’s entire remaining habitat (Gregg et al., 2020).
Hunting pressures
The species was historically hunted by local communities, but following the bird’s rediscovery in 2021 and increased awareness of their rarity, Indigenous peoples on Fergusson Island are beginning to recognise its cultural and ecological importance. There is now hope that local knowledge and stewardship will empower communities to take a leading role in protecting the species.
Introduced predators
Including Polynesian Rats (Rattus exulans) and pigs, are already established and may prey on ground nests. Cats and Black Rats (Rattus rattus) may already be present and pose a serious threat if widespread (Atkinson & Atkinson, 2000; Dutson, pers. comm. 2021). Shipping and trade introduce high risk invasive species being transported to the island via large cargo vessels, increasing the threat of ecological disruption.
Climate change-related extreme weather
This alters rainfall patterns and temperatures which further threaten the already-fragile montane ecosystems of Fergusson Island.
Take Action!
The rediscovery of the Black-naped Pheasant-Pigeon is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to save a species from extinction. We must support local communities and indigenous-led conservation on Fergusson Island to protect this bird’s remaining habitat. Reject palm oil and logging products that drive deforestation. Choose vegan, animal-free alternatives and raise your voice for wildlife. #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife #Vegan #BoycottMeat
FAQs
Do Black-naped Pheasant-Pigeons make good pets?
Absolutely not. Keeping these Critically Endangered birds as pets is illegal and contributes directly to their extinction. Every individual removed from the wild represents a significant loss for a species with fewer than 250 mature individuals left. Indigenous communities are working hard to protect their native wildlife – we must support their efforts by opposing wildlife trafficking and the exotic pet trade.
How many Black-naped Pheasant-Pigeons are left?
Estimates suggest there are fewer than 250 mature individuals left in the wild, based on limited sightings and habitat assessments (Gregg et al., 2020). Their range is restricted to Fergusson Island and even there they occur in extremely low densities.
Why are Black-naped Pheasant-Pigeons endangered?
Their habitat is shrinking due to logging and agriculture, and they are also hunted by local communities. Introduced predators like pigs and rats eat their eggs, and cats may be an additional future threat (Gregg et al., 2020; del Hoyo et al., 2020).
Where exactly do Black-naped Pheasant-Pigeons live?
They are found only on Fergusson Island, part of the D’Entrecasteaux Archipelago of Papua New Guinea, mostly in montane forest habitats above 1,000 metres near Mt Kilkerran.
How were Black-naped Pheasant-Pigeons rediscovered?
After 140 years, the species was rediscovered in 2022 through a month-long expedition using camera traps and the guidance of local hunters who knew the bird’s calls and habits. The effort was part of the Search for Lost Birds program led by Re:wild, BirdLife International, and the American Bird Conservancy (Kimbrough, 2022).
Further Information
Audubon. (2022, November 17). ‘Like Finding a Unicorn’: Researchers Rediscover the Black-Naped Pheasant-Pigeon. Audubon Magazine. https://www.audubon.org/news/like-finding-unicorn-researchers-rediscover-black-naped-pheasant-pigeon-bird
BirdLife International. 2016. Otidiphaps insularis. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T22726273A94916466. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-3.RLTS.T22726273A94916466.en. Downloaded on 31 January 2021.
Kimbrough, L. (2022, November 21). In PNG, researchers find a large pigeon lost to science for 140 years. Mongabay. https://news.mongabay.com/2022/11/in-png-researchers-find-a-large-pigeon-lost-to-science-for-140-years/
Sci.News Staff. (2022, November 21). Ornithologists capture first-ever photos, video of long-lost ground-dwelling pigeon. Sci.News. Retrieved March 25, 2025, from https://www.sci.news/biology/otidiphaps-insularis-11411.html
Zoological Society of London. (n.d.). Black-naped pheasant-pigeon (Otidiphaps insularis). EDGE of Existence. Retrieved March 25, 2025, from https://www.edgeofexistence.org/species/black-naped-pheasant-pigeon/
Support the conservation of this species
Black-naped Pheasant-pigeon Otidiphaps insularis
How can I help the #Boycott4Wildlife?
Take Action in Five Ways
1. Join the #Boycott4Wildlife on social media and subscribe to stay in the loop: Share posts from this website to your own network on Twitter, Mastadon, Instagram, Facebook and Youtube using the hashtags #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife.
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Join 3,529 other subscribers2. Contribute stories: Academics, conservationists, scientists, indigenous rights advocates and animal rights advocates working to expose the corruption of the palm oil industry or to save animals can contribute stories to the website.
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Health Physician Dr Evan Allen
The World’s Most Loved Cup: A Social, Ethical & Environmental History of Coffee by Aviary Doert
How do we stop the world’s ecosystems from going into a death spiral? A #SteadyState Economy
3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.
https://twitter.com/CuriousApe4/status/1526136783557529600?s=20
https://twitter.com/PhillDixon1/status/1749010345555788144?s=20
https://twitter.com/mugabe139/status/1678027567977078784?s=20
4. Take to the streets: Get in touch with Palm Oil Detectives to find out more.
5. Donate: Make a one-off or monthly donation to Palm Oil Detectives as a way of saying thank you and to help pay for ongoing running costs of the website and social media campaigns. Donate here
Pledge your support#Bird #birds #BlackNapedPheasantPigeonOtidiphapsInsularis #Boycott4wildlife #BoycottMeat #BoycottPalmOil #climateChange #deforestation #endangered #EndangeredSpecies #extinct #extinction #ForgottenAnimals #hunting #illegalPetTrade #PalmOil #palmoil #PapuaNewGuineaSpeciesEndangeredByPalmOilDeforestation #PapuaNewGuinea #pigeon #pigeons #vegan
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D’entrecasteaux Archipelago Pogonomys Pogonomys fergussoniensis
D’entrecasteaux Archipelago Pogonomys Pogonomys fergussoniensis
IUCN Red List Status: Endangered
Location: Papua New Guinea’s D’Entrecasteaux Archipelago.
The D’Entrecasteaux Archipelago Pogonomys has possibly one of the most unpronounceable names in the world and is also one of the least known rodents in the world. also known as the Fergusson Island tree mouse, is an arboreal rodent endemic to Fergusson Island in Papua New Guinea’s D’Entrecasteaux Archipelago. This small, nocturnal rodent species depends on intact montane forests, making them highly vulnerable to habitat destruction caused by out-of-control palm oil plantations, logging, and agricultural expansion. Urgent conservation action is needed to protect this precious and obscure mouse species from extinction. #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife
This diminutive and cute tree #rat 🩷🐀🌳has a difficult name: D’Entrecasteaux Archipelago Pogonomys. They’re #endangered in #PapuaNewGuinea due to #palmoil and #timber #deforestation. Help them survive and #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://palmoildetectives.com/2021/01/31/dentrecasteaux-archipelago-pogonomys-pogonomys-fergussoniensis/
Share to BlueSky Share to TwitterAppearance and Behaviour
The D’Entrecasteaux Archipelago Pogonomys is a small, tree-dwelling rodent with soft, dense fur that ranges from brown to reddish-brown, helping them blend into their forest environment. Their underparts are lighter in colour, and their prehensile tail is a critical adaptation for climbing and balancing in the canopy (IUCN, 2016).
Nocturnal and arboreal, these rodents are elusive and rarely observed. They spend their time foraging in the treetops, relying on their agility to navigate their forested habitat (iNaturalist, n.d.; IUCN, 2016).
Diet
This species primarily consumes fruits, seeds, and plant material, relying heavily on the biodiversity of montane forests. Their specialised diet ties them directly to the health of their ecosystem, and habitat degradation poses a significant threat to their food sources (IUCN, 2016; iNaturalist, n.d.).
Reproduction and Mating
There is limited information about the reproduction of the D’Entrecasteaux Archipelago Pogonomys. Like other species in the Pogonomys genus, they are likely to have small litters. Understanding their reproductive patterns is critical for developing effective conservation strategies (IUCN, 2016).
Geographic Range
This species is restricted to Fergusson Island in Papua New Guinea, where they inhabit montane forests between 1,200 and 1,800 metres above sea level. Their extremely limited range makes them particularly vulnerable to habitat loss for palm oil, timber and gold mining (IUCN, 2016).
Threats
Forest clearance is a serious problem for this species. The islands are being converted to grassland (perhaps entirely) through subsistence farming. This species is assessed as Endangered because of their extent of occurrence (EOO) is approximately 4,922 km², all individuals occur in fewer than six locations, there is continuing decline in the extent and quality of its habitat through deforestation, and the population size is presumed to be decreasing as a result of habitat loss. The species does appear to be tolerant of some disturbance, but this needs to be confirmed.
IUcN Red LIST
Palm oil and timber logging: Deforestation for out-of-control palm oil plantations, agriculture, and timber logging is destroying their montane forest habitat at an alarming rate (IUCN, 2016).
Climate Change: Rising temperatures could further reduce the availability of suitable montane habitats, forcing these small tree-dwelling rodents into even smaller ranges.
Conservation Neglect: As a lesser-known species, they receive minimal attention in conservation efforts, further jeopardising their survival.
Take Action!
Safeguarding the D’Entrecasteaux Archipelago Pogonomys requires immediate action to preserve their fragile forest habitat. Boycotting products containing palm oil, supporting indigenous-led conservation, and advocating for biodiversity protection are essential steps to ensure their survival. Every effort matters. #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife #Vegan
Further Information
Wright, D & Leary, T. 2016. Pogonomys fergussoniensis. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T136763A22431006. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-2.RLTS.T136763A22431006.en. Downloaded on 31 January 2021.
iNaturalist. (n.d.). Pogonomys fergussoniensis. Retrieved from https://uk.inaturalist.org/taxa/74934-Pogonomys-fergussoniensis
Wikipedia. (n.d.). D’Entrecasteaux Archipelago Pogonomys. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/D%27Entrecasteaux_Archipelago_pogonomys
Support the conservation of this species
D’entrecasteaux Archipelago Pogonomys Pogonomys fergussoniensis
How can I help the #Boycott4Wildlife?
Take Action in Five Ways
1. Join the #Boycott4Wildlife on social media and subscribe to stay in the loop: Share posts from this website to your own network on Twitter, Mastadon, Instagram, Facebook and Youtube using the hashtags #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife.
Enter your email address
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Join 1,392 other subscribers2. Contribute stories: Academics, conservationists, scientists, indigenous rights advocates and animal rights advocates working to expose the corruption of the palm oil industry or to save animals can contribute stories to the website.
Mel Lumby: Dedicated Devotee to Borneo’s Living Beings
Anthropologist and Author Dr Sophie Chao
Health Physician Dr Evan Allen
The World’s Most Loved Cup: A Social, Ethical & Environmental History of Coffee by Aviary Doert
How do we stop the world’s ecosystems from going into a death spiral? A #SteadyState Economy
3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.
https://twitter.com/CuriousApe4/status/1526136783557529600?s=20
https://twitter.com/PhillDixon1/status/1749010345555788144?s=20
https://twitter.com/mugabe139/status/1678027567977078784?s=20
4. Take to the streets: Get in touch with Palm Oil Detectives to find out more.
5. Donate: Make a one-off or monthly donation to Palm Oil Detectives as a way of saying thank you and to help pay for ongoing running costs of the website and social media campaigns. Donate here
Pledge your support#Boycott4wildlife #BoycottPalmOil #DEntrecasteauxArchipelagoPogonomysPogonomysFergussoniensis #deforestation #endangered #EndangeredSpecies #Mammal #palmoil #PapuaNewGuineaSpeciesEndangeredByPalmOilDeforestation #PapuaNewGuinea #rat #rodent #rodents #timber #vegan
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Arfak Ringtail Pseudochirulus schlegeli
Arfak Ringtail Pseudochirulus schlegeli
Red List Status: Vulnerable
Location: Indonesia (Papua Province – Arfak Mountains, Vogelkop Peninsula)
The Arfak Ringtail is restricted to the cool cloud forests of the Arfak Mountains in West Papua, ranging from 750 to 1,900 metres above sea level.
The Arfak Ringtail Pseudochirulus schlegeli is a wide-eyed and bushy tailed #possum living in the remote Arfak Mountains and cloud forests of #WestPapua. Although little is known of these tree-dwelling #marsupials, much can be gleaned from related #mammals in Australasia. These cryptic and fluffy arboreal beauties are found in the mossy, cloud-wrapped forests of the Vogelkop Peninsula’s Arfak Mountains. Listed as #Vulnerable, the species faces mounting pressure from #deforestation for #palmoil and #timber and #hunting by local communities. With fewer than five known locations and less than 20,000 km² of suitable habitat, this highland #possum could disappear quietly without urgent action. Protect #indigenous forests, say no to palm oil, and stand up against wildlife exploitation #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife #Vegan
Adorable wide-eyed 👀 and bushy tailed 🐀😻🩶 Arfak Ringtails are #marsupials #vulnerable from #mining and #PalmOil #Deforestation in #WestPapua. Protect them when you shop and #BoycottPalmOil 🌴🩸🚜☠️⛔️ #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect #PapuaMerdeka https://palmoildetectives.com/2021/01/26/arfak-ringtail-pseudochirulus-schlegeli/
Share to BlueSky Share to TwitterCute #marsupials of #WestPapua’s rainforests, Arfak Ringtails are surrounded by #palmoil and dead lands. Papuan land was never ceded or destroyed by #indigenous peoples! Protect animals and people of #Papua! #BoycottPalmOil #FreeWestPapua @palmoildetect https://palmoildetectives.com/2021/01/26/arfak-ringtail-pseudochirulus-schlegeli/
Share to BlueSky Share to TwitterAppearance and Behaviour
With their wide, watchful eyes and soft fawn coloured fur, the Arfak Ringtail is one of the most endearing mammals of the New Guinean highlands. This species has a round, compact body covered in velvety greyish-brown fur. Their underbellies are pale, with soft pinkish paws finished with sharp claws ideal for clinging to the tree canopy. Their fine and pointed snout and whiskers are sensitive to movement in the forest. Their ears are rounded and translucent and equally as sensitive to sonic disturbances. Like many other possums in Australia and New Guinea, the Arfak Ringtails large and prominent eyes help them to navigate by night and protect themselves against danger.
The Arfak Ringtail uses their prehensile tail to deftly navigate moss-draped branches high in the rainforest canopy. Almost nothing is known about the species’ social life, but like other ringtails, the species likely lives a secretive, arboreal existence, emerging at night to forage among the foliage.
Diet
Although never directly observed in the wild, the Arfak Ringtail likely follows a diet similar to other Pseudochirulus possums, feeding primarily on leaves, fruits, flowers, and possibly mosses or fungi. This folivorous diet is supported by a specialised digestive system capable of fermenting tough plant fibres.
Reproduction and Mating
While the breeding biology of the Arfak Ringtail remains a mystery due to their elusive nature and lack of field studies, scientists can infer some details by looking at closely related marsupials such as Australia’s ringtail possums (Pseudocheirus peregrinus) and other members of the Pseudochirulus genus.
Like other marsupials, the Arfak Ringtail likely gives birth to highly underdeveloped young after a short gestation period, possibly around 14 days. These tiny, pink, jellybean-sized joeys crawl unassisted into the mother’s pouch, where they latch onto a teat and continue developing in safety. The pouch phase may last two to three months, after which the young gradually begin to venture outside the pouch and are carried on the mother’s back as they continue to nurse and grow.
Breeding is likely seasonal in response to food availability, as observed in many rainforest marsupials. In Australian ringtail possums, females typically raise one to two young per year, with some species having more frequent breeding cycles depending on habitat conditions. Alloparental care – in which older siblings or group members help care for the young – has been documented in related species and may also occur in the Arfak Ringtail.
The young are weaned several months after pouch emergence and reach independence after about 6–9 months. Juvenile dispersal is thought to reduce inbreeding and help maintain genetic diversity. Like their Australian relatives, the Arfak Ringtail possum likely nests in leafy tree hollows or creates dreys (ball-shaped nests of woven leaves and twigs) high in the canopy to raise their young.
Geographic Range
The Arfak Ringtail is a marsupial possum endemic to the Arfak Mountains on the Vogelkop Peninsula in West Papua. The species occurs between 750 and 1,900 metres above sea level in montane rainforest habitats. Fewer than 10 individuals have ever been recorded, but researchers believe the species may be more widespread within the Arfaks, concealed by the region’s steep, remote terrain.
Threats
The Arfak Ringtail is a rare and little-known species is restricted to the Arfak mountains in the Vogelkop Peninsula in West Papua Province on the island of New Guinea. This ringtail is known from a handful of localities, but there is reason to believe that this species occurs throughout the Arfaks. This species is listed as Vulnerable because its extent of occurrence is less than 20,000 km2, it occurs at less than five locations, and it is experiencing continuing decline in habitat due to human encroachment, and in the number of mature individuals due to hunting. It is threatened by hunting for food by local people, and also by conversion of suitable forest habitat to cultivated land.
• Habitat destruction for palm oil and timber
Widespread clearing of highland forest for cultivation of palm oil, coffee and other commodities is rapidly eroding the Arfak Ringtail’s habitat. Although the species shows some tolerance for human presence, deforestation disrupts canopy connectivity, limiting access to food and shelter.
• Hunting by local communities
The species is hunted for bushmeat by communities in the Arfak Mountains. Due to the animal’s rarity and small range, even minimal hunting pressure can cause significant population declines, especially when combined with habitat fragmentation.
• Small population size and lack of knowledge
Almost nothing is known about the Arfak Ringtail’s ecology, population size, or behaviour. Without urgent studies, conservation efforts remain speculative, and the species could decline unnoticed. The absence of data delays protection and leaves this secretive marsupial vulnerable to extinction.
Take Action!
Support indigenous-led protection of New Guinea’s montane rainforests. Boycott palm oil and other industries driving deforestation. Never support bushmeat trade or hunting of wild mammals. Demand protection for New Guinea’s endemic species. #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife #Vegan #BoycottMeat
FAQs
How many Arfak Ringtails are left in the wild?
No population estimate currently exists. Fewer than 10 individuals have ever been documented, but researchers believe the species may be more widespread across the Arfak Mountains. Ongoing deforestation and hunting, however, are likely causing a continued decline in numbers (IUCN, 2021).
Where do Arfak Ringtails live?
The species is only found in the Arfak Mountains of the Vogelkop Peninsula in Papua Province, Indonesia. They live in montane cloud forests at elevations between 750 and 1,900 metres above sea level.
What is the main threat to the Arfak Ringtail?
Habitat loss due to industrial palm oil agriculture and logging is the biggest threat, followed closely by hunting. Despite some protection within a national park, ongoing deforestation and lack of data on their ecology hinder effective conservation.
Do Arfak Ringtails make good pets?
Absolutely not. Arfak Ringtails are wild, tree-dwelling marsupials with complex dietary and environmental needs. Capturing them for the illegal pet trade is an incredibly selfish act that contributes to their extinction. If you care about these rare forest dwellers, never support the illegal wildlife trade and advocate against the exploitation of wild animals.
Further Information
Helgen, K., Dickman, C. & Salas, L. 2016. Pseudochirulus schlegeli. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T40641A21962129. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-2.RLTS.T40641A21962129.en. Downloaded on 26 January 2021.
Wikipedia contributors. (n.d.). Pseudochirulus schlegeli. Wikipedia. Retrieved March 25, 2025, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pseudochirulus_schlegeli
Ziegler, A. C. (n.d.). Evolution of New Guinea’s marsupial fauna in response to a forested environment. In The biology of marsupials (pp. 117–138). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-02721-7_7
Arfak Ringtail Pseudochirulus schlegeli
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Pledge your support#ArfakRingtailPseudochirulusSchlegeli #Boycott4wildlife #BoycottMeat #BoycottPalmOil #deforestation #FreeWestPapua #hunting #illegalPetTrade #indigenous #Indonesia #land #Mammal #mammals #Marsupial #marsupials #mining #palmoil #Papua #PapuaNewGuineaSpeciesEndangeredByPalmOilDeforestation #PapuaMerdeka #possum #timber #vegan #vulnerable #VulnerableSpecies #WestPapua
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Golden-mantled Tree Kangaroo Dendrolagus pulcherrimus
Golden-mantled Tree Kangaroo Dendrolagus pulcherrimus
Red List Status: Critically Endangered
Location: Papua New Guinea (Torricelli Range), West Papua (Foja Mountains)
In the misty cloud forests of New Guinea’s mountains, where ancient trees emerge from perpetual fog and birdsong echoes through emerald canopies, Golden-mantled Tree Kangaroos move with quiet grace through their vanishing world.
Golden-mantled Tree Kangaroos are one of the world’s rarest marsupials. Rarely glimpsed in the wild, their distinctive chestnut coats are adorned with golden stripes. These remarkable climbing kangaroos have suffered a catastrophic 90% population decline over three generations, leaving fewer than 500 individuals clinging on for survival in two remote mountain ranges. Palm oil expansion strips away their ancient forest homes while hunting pressure decimates remaining populations. The Tenkile Conservation Alliance protects the Torricelli population through community-based conservation, offering hope for recovery. #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife
Golden-mantled Tree #Kangaroos 🦘🤎 are critically endangered #marsupials of #PapuaNewGuinea 🇵🇬 They’re on the edge of #extinction from #palmoil #deforestation and #hunting. Resist for them and #Boycottpalmoil 🌴☠️🤮🙊⛔️ #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://palmoildetectives.com/2021/01/26/golden-mantled-tree-kangaroo-dendrolagus-pulcherrimus/
Share to BlueSky Share to TwitterAppearance and behaviour
The lowland areas of their distribution are earmarked for deforestation and oil palm expansion.
IUCN Red List
These resilient Tree Kangaroos display the physiological adaptations of arboreal marsupials with chestnut-brown coats, pale bellies, and distinctive double golden stripes running down their backs. Their yellowish necks, cheeks, and feet create a striking contrast against their darker fur, while their powerful tails marked with pale rings provide essential balance during canopy travel. These compact marsupials measure 40-77 centimetres in body length with tails reaching 40-87 centimetres.
Golden-mantled Tree Kangaroos possess powerful forelimbs and curved claws perfectly adapted for gripping bark and branches. Their shorter hind legs allow independent movement essential for navigating complex three-dimensional forest environments. Unlike ground kangaroos, these arboreal specialists can move both forwards and backwards along branches, using their long tails as fifth limbs for stability and balance.
Diet
Golden-mantled Tree Kangaroos are primarily folivorous, feeding on leaves from dozens of plant species found throughout their montane forest habitat. They supplement their diet with seasonal fruits, herbs, and sedges, spending considerable time foraging both in trees and on the forest floor. These selective feeders prefer young leaves and shoots from specific plant species, making them vulnerable when preferred food sources disappear.
Their feeding behaviour includes both arboreal and terrestrial foraging, with Golden-mantled Tree Kangaroos descending to ground level to access fallen fruits and herbs. This dietary flexibility has allowed them to persist in their restricted mountain habitats, though their dependence on specific plant species makes them particularly vulnerable to habitat conversion and fragmentation.
Reproduction and mating
Golden-mantled Tree Kangaroos reach sexual maturity at approximately two years of age with no defined breeding season. Females have an oestrous cycle estimated at 54 days with a gestation period of about 45 days. Once born, the tiny joey remains in the mother’s pouch for 10 months before emerging to spend another 2-3 months at foot, learning essential climbing and foraging skills.
These marsupials live relatively long lives, with captive individuals surviving over 14 years, suggesting wild Golden-mantled Tree Kangaroos could live 8-10 years under optimal conditions. Their extended dependency period reflects the complex skills required for arboreal survival, with mothers teaching joeys essential climbing techniques and food recognition during their extended care period.
Geographic Range
Golden-mantled Tree Kangaroos now survive in only two isolated mountain ranges across New Guinea. The Torricelli Range population in Papua New Guinea extends from Weight to Kuliek, while a smaller population persists in West Papua’s Foja Mountains. Fossil records indicate they once ranged across the Vogelkop Peninsula and other areas, but have been extirpated from 99% of their historical range.
Unconfirmed sightings from Papua New Guinea’s Prince Alexander Range suggest possible remnant populations, though these require verification. Their extremely restricted range of just 300 square kilometres makes Golden-mantled Tree Kangaroos particularly vulnerable to local extinctions from habitat loss, hunting, or natural disasters.
Threats
Industrial palm oil deforestation
Palm oil companies systematically bulldoze and burn Golden-mantled Tree Kangaroo habitat across West Papua, replacing mid-montane rainforests with lifeless monocultures. Korean company Korindo has destroyed 11,700 hectares of pristine rainforest in recent years, eliminating the complex canopy structure these arboreal marsupials require for survival. The company burns forests illegally, knowing this practice destroys critical habitat for tree kangaroos, birds of paradise, and cassowaries. Palm oil expansion has eliminated lowland portions of their range entirely, forcing Golden-mantled Tree Kangaroos into higher elevation refuges. Plantation development fragments the continuous forest cover essential for these territorial animals, creating isolated patches too small to support viable populations.
Hunting for bushmeat
Local communities hunt Golden-mantled Tree Kangaroos for subsistence protein, targeting them with guns during opportunistic forest expeditions. Hunting pressure intensifies near human settlements where access improves through road development and infrastructure expansion. The species’ small group sizes and territorial nature make them particularly vulnerable to hunting pressure, with entire local populations eliminated through intensive harvesting.
Infrastructure and road projects
Road construction opens previously inaccessible mountain areas to human exploitation, bringing hunting pressure and habitat disturbance into formerly secure territories. Small-scale agriculture eliminates forest understory vegetation while creating edge effects that degrade remaining habitat quality. The conversion of traditional forest management systems to intensive agriculture removes the ecological balance that historically supported both human communities and wildlife populations.
Take Action!
Use your wallet as a weapon and #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife every time you shop. Adopt a vegan lifestyle protecting both wild and farmed animals from agricultural expansion. Support the Tenkile Conservation Alliance’s community-based protection programmes recognising indigenous land rights. Refuse products containing palm oil, as this is driving Golden-mantled Tree Kangaroos towards extinction. #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife #Vegan
FAQs
How do Golden-mantled Tree Kangaroos climb trees?
Golden-mantled Tree Kangaroos have powerful forelimbs with curved claws that grip bark securely, while their shorter hind legs allow independent movement essential for navigating branches. They possess strong grips on their paws and foot soles providing non-slip traction when climbing. Their long tails act as fifth limbs, pressing against tree trunks for balance and stability during movement.
What do Golden-mantled Tree Kangaroos eat?
Golden-mantled Tree Kangaroos are primarily herbivorous, feeding on leaves from 91 known plant species, seasonal fruits, herbs, and sedges found in their montane forest habitat. They spend considerable time foraging both in trees and on the forest floor, preferring young leaves and shoots from specific plant species. Some sources suggest they occasionally consume young birds and bird eggs, though their diet consists predominantly of plant matter. Their selective feeding habits make them vulnerable when preferred food sources disappear due to habitat conversion or climate change.
How long do Golden-mantled Tree Kangaroos live?
In the wild, they typically live approximately 8-10 years, though current threats including hunting and habitat destruction may be reducing average lifespans. Captive individuals have survived over 14 years, suggesting they have potential for longer lifespans when protected from human pressures. Their generation length is approximately 10 years, indicating they reach reproductive maturity relatively late compared to smaller marsupials.
How big are Golden-mantled Tree Kangaroos?
Golden-mantled Tree Kangaroos measure 40-77 centimetres in body length with tails reaching 40-87 centimetres, making them substantially smaller than ground kangaroos. They weigh approximately 15.5 kilograms, a relatively light build essential for their arboreal lifestyle where they must be supported by tree branches. Both males and females are similar in size, showing less sexual dimorphism than many other kangaroo species.
Why are Golden-mantled Tree Kangaroos endangered?
Tragically, these tree kangaroos have experienced a catastrophic 90% population decline over three generations due to palm oil deforestation and hunting pressure. Palm oil companies have destroyed 99% of their historical habitat, replacing mid-montane rainforests with monoculture plantations offering no food or shelter. Hunting for bushmeat provides essential protein for local communities but removes breeding individuals from critically small populations. Their extremely restricted range of just 300 square kilometres makes them vulnerable to local extinctions, while habitat fragmentation prevents genetic exchange between isolated populations.
Can Golden-mantled Tree Kangaroos jump?
Golden-mantled Tree Kangaroos are capable jumpers, able to leap distances of up to 9 metres between trees and drop up to 18 metres to the forest floor without injury. They can climb heights equivalent to a 10-storey building, using their powerful hind legs and long tails for balance during aerial manoeuvres. Their jumping ability allows them to navigate between the treetops without descending to the dangerous ground level where predators pose greater threats. Their remarkable leaping capacity is essential for accessing food sources and escaping danger in their three-dimensional forest environment.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WAiBl_b2cE
Further Information
Eldridge, M. D. B., Potter, S., Helgen, K. M., Sinaga, M. H., Aplin, K. P., Flannery, T. F., & Johnson, R. N. (2018). Phylogenetic analysis of the tree-kangaroos (Dendrolagus) reveals multiple divergent lineages within New Guinea. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 127, 589-599. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2018.05.030
Flannery, T. F. (1993). Taxonomy of Dendrolagus goodfellowi with description of a new subspecies. Records of the Australian Museum, 45(1), 33-42.
Leary, T., Wright, D., Hamilton, S., Helgen, K., Singadan, R., Aplin, K., … & Seri, L. (2016). Dendrolagus pulcherrimus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T136696A21957219.
Porolak, G., Dabek, L., & Krockenberger, A. K. (2014). Ranging behaviour of tree kangaroos in upper montane forest. PLoS ONE, 9(4), e91870.
Leary, T., Wright, D., Hamilton, S., Helgen, K., Singadan, R., Aplin, K., Dickman, C., Salas, L., Flannery, T., Martin, R. & Seri, L. 2016. Dendrolagus pulcherrimus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T136696A21957219. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-2.RLTS.T136696A21957219.en. Downloaded on 26 January 2021.
You can support the conservation of this animal:
Golden-mantled Tree Kangaroo Dendrolagus pulcherrimus
How can I help the #Boycott4Wildlife?
Take Action in Five Ways
1. Join the #Boycott4Wildlife on social media and subscribe to stay in the loop: Share posts from this website to your own network on Twitter, Mastadon, Instagram, Facebook and Youtube using the hashtags #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife.
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Sign Up
Join 3,529 other subscribers2. Contribute stories: Academics, conservationists, scientists, indigenous rights advocates and animal rights advocates working to expose the corruption of the palm oil industry or to save animals can contribute stories to the website.
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The World’s Most Loved Cup: A Social, Ethical & Environmental History of Coffee by Aviary Doert
How do we stop the world’s ecosystems from going into a death spiral? A #SteadyState Economy
3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.
https://twitter.com/CuriousApe4/status/1526136783557529600?s=20
https://twitter.com/PhillDixon1/status/1749010345555788144?s=20
https://twitter.com/mugabe139/status/1678027567977078784?s=20
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5. Donate: Make a one-off or monthly donation to Palm Oil Detectives as a way of saying thank you and to help pay for ongoing running costs of the website and social media campaigns. Donate here
Pledge your support#Boycott4wildlife #BoycottPalmOil #CriticallyEndangeredSpecies #deforestation #Dendrolagus #extinction #ForgottenAnimals #GoldenMantledTreeKangarooDendrolagusPulcherrimus #hunting #Indonesia #Kangaroos #Macropod #Mammal #mammals #Marsupial #marsupials #palmoil #PapuaNewGuinea #PapuaNewGuineaSpeciesEndangeredByPalmOilDeforestation #PapuaNewGuinea #TreeKangaroo #treekangaroos #vegan #WestPapua #WestPapua
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Golden-mantled Tree Kangaroo Dendrolagus pulcherrimus
Golden-mantled Tree Kangaroo Dendrolagus pulcherrimus
Red List Status: Critically Endangered
Location: Papua New Guinea (Torricelli Range), West Papua (Foja Mountains)
In the misty cloud forests of New Guinea’s mountains, where ancient trees emerge from perpetual fog and birdsong echoes through emerald canopies, Golden-mantled Tree Kangaroos move with quiet grace through their vanishing world.
Golden-mantled Tree Kangaroos are one of the world’s rarest marsupials. Rarely glimpsed in the wild, their distinctive chestnut coats are adorned with golden stripes. These remarkable climbing kangaroos have suffered a catastrophic 90% population decline over three generations, leaving fewer than 500 individuals clinging on for survival in two remote mountain ranges. Palm oil expansion strips away their ancient forest homes while hunting pressure decimates remaining populations. The Tenkile Conservation Alliance protects the Torricelli population through community-based conservation, offering hope for recovery. #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife
Golden-mantled Tree #Kangaroos 🦘🤎 are critically endangered #marsupials of #PapuaNewGuinea 🇵🇬 They’re on the edge of #extinction from #palmoil #deforestation and #hunting. Resist for them and #Boycottpalmoil 🌴☠️🤮🙊⛔️ #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://palmoildetectives.com/2021/01/26/golden-mantled-tree-kangaroo-dendrolagus-pulcherrimus/
Share to BlueSky Share to TwitterAppearance and behaviour
The lowland areas of their distribution are earmarked for deforestation and oil palm expansion.
IUCN Red List
These resilient Tree Kangaroos display the physiological adaptations of arboreal marsupials with chestnut-brown coats, pale bellies, and distinctive double golden stripes running down their backs. Their yellowish necks, cheeks, and feet create a striking contrast against their darker fur, while their powerful tails marked with pale rings provide essential balance during canopy travel. These compact marsupials measure 40-77 centimetres in body length with tails reaching 40-87 centimetres.
Golden-mantled Tree Kangaroos possess powerful forelimbs and curved claws perfectly adapted for gripping bark and branches. Their shorter hind legs allow independent movement essential for navigating complex three-dimensional forest environments. Unlike ground kangaroos, these arboreal specialists can move both forwards and backwards along branches, using their long tails as fifth limbs for stability and balance.
Diet
Golden-mantled Tree Kangaroos are primarily folivorous, feeding on leaves from dozens of plant species found throughout their montane forest habitat. They supplement their diet with seasonal fruits, herbs, and sedges, spending considerable time foraging both in trees and on the forest floor. These selective feeders prefer young leaves and shoots from specific plant species, making them vulnerable when preferred food sources disappear.
Their feeding behaviour includes both arboreal and terrestrial foraging, with Golden-mantled Tree Kangaroos descending to ground level to access fallen fruits and herbs. This dietary flexibility has allowed them to persist in their restricted mountain habitats, though their dependence on specific plant species makes them particularly vulnerable to habitat conversion and fragmentation.
Reproduction and mating
Golden-mantled Tree Kangaroos reach sexual maturity at approximately two years of age with no defined breeding season. Females have an oestrous cycle estimated at 54 days with a gestation period of about 45 days. Once born, the tiny joey remains in the mother’s pouch for 10 months before emerging to spend another 2-3 months at foot, learning essential climbing and foraging skills.
These marsupials live relatively long lives, with captive individuals surviving over 14 years, suggesting wild Golden-mantled Tree Kangaroos could live 8-10 years under optimal conditions. Their extended dependency period reflects the complex skills required for arboreal survival, with mothers teaching joeys essential climbing techniques and food recognition during their extended care period.
Geographic Range
Golden-mantled Tree Kangaroos now survive in only two isolated mountain ranges across New Guinea. The Torricelli Range population in Papua New Guinea extends from Weight to Kuliek, while a smaller population persists in West Papua’s Foja Mountains. Fossil records indicate they once ranged across the Vogelkop Peninsula and other areas, but have been extirpated from 99% of their historical range.
Unconfirmed sightings from Papua New Guinea’s Prince Alexander Range suggest possible remnant populations, though these require verification. Their extremely restricted range of just 300 square kilometres makes Golden-mantled Tree Kangaroos particularly vulnerable to local extinctions from habitat loss, hunting, or natural disasters.
Threats
Industrial palm oil deforestation
Palm oil companies systematically bulldoze and burn Golden-mantled Tree Kangaroo habitat across West Papua, replacing mid-montane rainforests with lifeless monocultures. Korean company Korindo has destroyed 11,700 hectares of pristine rainforest in recent years, eliminating the complex canopy structure these arboreal marsupials require for survival. The company burns forests illegally, knowing this practice destroys critical habitat for tree kangaroos, birds of paradise, and cassowaries. Palm oil expansion has eliminated lowland portions of their range entirely, forcing Golden-mantled Tree Kangaroos into higher elevation refuges. Plantation development fragments the continuous forest cover essential for these territorial animals, creating isolated patches too small to support viable populations.
Hunting for bushmeat
Local communities hunt Golden-mantled Tree Kangaroos for subsistence protein, targeting them with guns during opportunistic forest expeditions. Hunting pressure intensifies near human settlements where access improves through road development and infrastructure expansion. The species’ small group sizes and territorial nature make them particularly vulnerable to hunting pressure, with entire local populations eliminated through intensive harvesting.
Infrastructure and road projects
Road construction opens previously inaccessible mountain areas to human exploitation, bringing hunting pressure and habitat disturbance into formerly secure territories. Small-scale agriculture eliminates forest understory vegetation while creating edge effects that degrade remaining habitat quality. The conversion of traditional forest management systems to intensive agriculture removes the ecological balance that historically supported both human communities and wildlife populations.
Take Action!
Use your wallet as a weapon and #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife every time you shop. Adopt a vegan lifestyle protecting both wild and farmed animals from agricultural expansion. Support the Tenkile Conservation Alliance’s community-based protection programmes recognising indigenous land rights. Refuse products containing palm oil, as this is driving Golden-mantled Tree Kangaroos towards extinction. #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife #Vegan
FAQs
How do Golden-mantled Tree Kangaroos climb trees?
Golden-mantled Tree Kangaroos have powerful forelimbs with curved claws that grip bark securely, while their shorter hind legs allow independent movement essential for navigating branches. They possess strong grips on their paws and foot soles providing non-slip traction when climbing. Their long tails act as fifth limbs, pressing against tree trunks for balance and stability during movement.
What do Golden-mantled Tree Kangaroos eat?
Golden-mantled Tree Kangaroos are primarily herbivorous, feeding on leaves from 91 known plant species, seasonal fruits, herbs, and sedges found in their montane forest habitat. They spend considerable time foraging both in trees and on the forest floor, preferring young leaves and shoots from specific plant species. Some sources suggest they occasionally consume young birds and bird eggs, though their diet consists predominantly of plant matter. Their selective feeding habits make them vulnerable when preferred food sources disappear due to habitat conversion or climate change.
How long do Golden-mantled Tree Kangaroos live?
In the wild, they typically live approximately 8-10 years, though current threats including hunting and habitat destruction may be reducing average lifespans. Captive individuals have survived over 14 years, suggesting they have potential for longer lifespans when protected from human pressures. Their generation length is approximately 10 years, indicating they reach reproductive maturity relatively late compared to smaller marsupials.
How big are Golden-mantled Tree Kangaroos?
Golden-mantled Tree Kangaroos measure 40-77 centimetres in body length with tails reaching 40-87 centimetres, making them substantially smaller than ground kangaroos. They weigh approximately 15.5 kilograms, a relatively light build essential for their arboreal lifestyle where they must be supported by tree branches. Both males and females are similar in size, showing less sexual dimorphism than many other kangaroo species.
Why are Golden-mantled Tree Kangaroos endangered?
Tragically, these tree kangaroos have experienced a catastrophic 90% population decline over three generations due to palm oil deforestation and hunting pressure. Palm oil companies have destroyed 99% of their historical habitat, replacing mid-montane rainforests with monoculture plantations offering no food or shelter. Hunting for bushmeat provides essential protein for local communities but removes breeding individuals from critically small populations. Their extremely restricted range of just 300 square kilometres makes them vulnerable to local extinctions, while habitat fragmentation prevents genetic exchange between isolated populations.
Can Golden-mantled Tree Kangaroos jump?
Golden-mantled Tree Kangaroos are capable jumpers, able to leap distances of up to 9 metres between trees and drop up to 18 metres to the forest floor without injury. They can climb heights equivalent to a 10-storey building, using their powerful hind legs and long tails for balance during aerial manoeuvres. Their jumping ability allows them to navigate between the treetops without descending to the dangerous ground level where predators pose greater threats. Their remarkable leaping capacity is essential for accessing food sources and escaping danger in their three-dimensional forest environment.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WAiBl_b2cE
Further Information
Eldridge, M. D. B., Potter, S., Helgen, K. M., Sinaga, M. H., Aplin, K. P., Flannery, T. F., & Johnson, R. N. (2018). Phylogenetic analysis of the tree-kangaroos (Dendrolagus) reveals multiple divergent lineages within New Guinea. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 127, 589-599. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ympev.2018.05.030
Flannery, T. F. (1993). Taxonomy of Dendrolagus goodfellowi with description of a new subspecies. Records of the Australian Museum, 45(1), 33-42.
Leary, T., Wright, D., Hamilton, S., Helgen, K., Singadan, R., Aplin, K., … & Seri, L. (2016). Dendrolagus pulcherrimus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T136696A21957219.
Porolak, G., Dabek, L., & Krockenberger, A. K. (2014). Ranging behaviour of tree kangaroos in upper montane forest. PLoS ONE, 9(4), e91870.
Leary, T., Wright, D., Hamilton, S., Helgen, K., Singadan, R., Aplin, K., Dickman, C., Salas, L., Flannery, T., Martin, R. & Seri, L. 2016. Dendrolagus pulcherrimus. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T136696A21957219. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-2.RLTS.T136696A21957219.en. Downloaded on 26 January 2021.
You can support the conservation of this animal:
Golden-mantled Tree Kangaroo Dendrolagus pulcherrimus
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How do we stop the world’s ecosystems from going into a death spiral? A #SteadyState Economy
3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.
https://twitter.com/CuriousApe4/status/1526136783557529600?s=20
https://twitter.com/PhillDixon1/status/1749010345555788144?s=20
https://twitter.com/mugabe139/status/1678027567977078784?s=20
4. Take to the streets: Get in touch with Palm Oil Detectives to find out more.
5. Donate: Make a one-off or monthly donation to Palm Oil Detectives as a way of saying thank you and to help pay for ongoing running costs of the website and social media campaigns. Donate here
Pledge your support#Boycott4wildlife #BoycottPalmOil #CriticallyEndangeredSpecies #deforestation #Dendrolagus #extinction #ForgottenAnimals #GoldenMantledTreeKangarooDendrolagusPulcherrimus #hunting #Indonesia #Kangaroos #Macropod #Mammal #mammals #Marsupial #marsupials #palmoil #PapuaNewGuinea #PapuaNewGuineaSpeciesEndangeredByPalmOilDeforestation #PapuaNewGuinea #TreeKangaroo #treekangaroos #vegan #WestPapua #WestPapua
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Tenkile Dendrolagus scottae
Location: Torricelli Mountains and Bewani Range, Papua New Guinea
IUCN Status: Critically Endangered
The #Tenkile, or Scott’s Tree #Kangaroo Dendrolagus scottae, is one of the most endangered #marsupials in the world, found only in the Torricelli Mountains and Bewani Range of #PapuaNewGuinea. These elusive tree kangaroos are unlike others of the #Dendrolagus genus as they spend a lot more time on the ground. These #treekangaroos were once widespread, but decades of hunting for food and deforestation for subsistence farming have driven them to the brink of extinction and they are now critically endangered. By the early 2000s, their population had plummeted to an estimated 100 individuals. However, the Tenkile Conservation Alliance (TCA) has led a community-driven conservation effort that has helped stabilise and even increase their numbers. Despite these successes, #timber and #palmoil expansion stills pose a major threat to this species’ survival. Resist and fight for their survival each time you shop—#BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife.
Appearance and Behaviour
The #Tenkile is a critically #endangered chocolate brown tree #kangaroo 🦘🤎 bouncing in #PapuaNewGuinea’s 🇵🇬 #rainforests #PalmOil is a major threat. Help them, every time you shop #BoycottPalmOil 🌴🪔🤮🧐⛔️ #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect #marsupial https://palmoildetectives.com/2021/01/26/tenkile-dendrolagus-scottae/
Share to BlueSky Share to Twitter#Tenkiles are unlike other #TreeKangaroos as they spend time on the ground leaving them at risk of hunting. They have increased from 100 but #PalmOil #deforestation in #PapuaNewGuinea is a threat #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect #marsupial https://palmoildetectives.com/2021/01/26/tenkile-dendrolagus-scottae/
Share to BlueSky Share to TwitterWith their dense chocolate-brown fur, rounded face, and short, bear-like snout, Tenkile tree kangaroos are uniquely striking among their species. Their long, powerful tail helps them maintain balance while navigating the treetops, though unlike many tree kangaroos, they spend a significant amount of time on the ground. They move carefully and cautiously, using their strong forelimbs to grip branches and their hind legs for leaping between trees.
These tree kangaroos are highly elusive and difficult to spot in the wild. They are usually solitary, but historical accounts suggest they may have once lived in small groups. Due to intense hunting pressure, they have become particularly wary of human presence and avoid areas of disturbance.
Diet
Although no formal diet studies have been conducted, Tenkile tree kangaroos are known to feed on a variety of forest plants, vines, and epiphytes. They have been observed consuming Scaevola and Tetracera vines, as well as leaves from various rainforest species such as Podocarpus, Libocedrus, Auraucaria, Rapanea, and Syzygium. Their diet suggests they play a crucial role in their ecosystem by dispersing seeds and maintaining the health of montane rainforests.
Reproduction and Mating
Unlike some marsupials, Tenkile tree kangaroos do not have a fixed breeding season. Females typically give birth to one or possibly two joeys, which they carry in their pouch while they develop. Very little is known about their reproductive cycle, but as with other tree kangaroos, joeys likely spend months in the pouch before emerging and learning to navigate their treetop habitat. Given their slow reproductive rate, any decline in population is extremely difficult to reverse.
Threats
The Tenkile faces severe threats from hunting and habitat destruction for palm oil, gold mining and timber already present throughout their range.
This species is listed as Critically Endangered because of a rapid population decline suspected to be 90% or more over the last three generations, which in this species is a period of 30 years
IUCN Red ListHunting and human encroachment
For generations, local communities hunted the Tenkile for food, leading to devastating population declines. Increased human population density has made this worse, as more people depend on hunting. However, conservation efforts have drastically reduced hunting, helping stabilise the species in the Torricelli Mountains.
Infrastructure and road construction
Around 75% of the Tenkile’s inferred range is now covered by timber and palm oil concessions, leading to widespread forest loss and fragmentation. Additionally, new roads built for petroleum and gas development have opened up previously inaccessible areas to hunters, worsening the threat.
Palm oil and industrial agriculture
Large-scale palm oil plantations are intruding into the Tenkile’s habitat. As corporate logging and agribusiness expands, the risk of palm oil and commercial plantations replacing their habitat has become a grave risk to their survival.
Climate change-induced extreme weather
As a forest-dwelling species, the Tenkile is highly sensitive to temperature changes. Climate change threatens to alter forest composition, food availability, and disease prevalence, putting additional stress on their already fragile population.
Take Action!
The Tenkile’s survival depends on protecting its rainforest home and ensuring local communities are supported in sustainable conservation efforts. You can help by using your wallet as a weapon—#BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife every time you shop.
FAQs
What does the Tenkile eat?
The Tenkile’s diet consists mainly of forest vines, leaves, and epiphytic ferns, with a preference for plant species like Scaevola and Tetracera. These seed-dispersing tree kangaroos play a crucial ecological role in maintaining rainforest biodiversity.
How is the Tenkile different from other tree kangaroos?
Unlike most tree kangaroos, the Tenkile spends a high proportion of time on the ground rather than staying exclusively in the treetops. This makes them more vulnerable to hunting and habitat destruction.
Why are Tenkile tree kangaroos endangered?
The Tenkile has been severely impacted by hunting and habitat loss from logging, agriculture, and road construction. Despite successful conservation efforts, threats from industrial expansion and climate change continue to endanger its survival.
What is the Tenkile Conservation Alliance (TCA)?
The Tenkile Conservation Alliance is a community-driven conservation group that has helped protect the Tenkile by working with local villages to ban hunting and establish conservation of tree kangaroos and other small marsupials in Papua. Their work has stabilised the Tenkile’s population, proving that local-led conservation efforts can be effective.
How can I help protect the Tenkile?
One of the biggest threats to Tenkile habitat is deforestation, particularly for logging, agriculture, and palm oil expansion. Always choose products that are 100% palm oil-free to avoid contributing to deforestation and biodiversity loss. Support organisations like the Tenkile Conservation Alliance, and spread awareness about this critically endangered species.
Further Information
Flannery, T. F., & Seri, L. (1990). Tree kangaroos of New Guinea. Records of the Australian Museum, 42(3), 237–245. https://journals.australian.museum/flannery-and-seri-1990-rec-aust-mus-423-237245/
Leary, T., Wright, D., Hamilton, S., Helgen, K., Singadan, R., Aplin, K., Dickman, C., Salas, L., Flannery, T., Martin, R. & Seri, L. 2019. Dendrolagus scottae. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2019: e.T6435A21956375. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-1.RLTS.T6435A21956375.en. Downloaded on 26 January 2021.
Cannon, J. (2023). Defending a forest for tree kangaroos and people: Q&A with Fidelis Nick. Mongabay https://news.mongabay.com/2023/10/defending-a-forest-for-tree-kangaroos-and-people-qa-with-fidelis-nick/
Tenkile Conservation Alliance. (2024). Tenkile Tree Kangaroo. https://tenkile.com/tenkile-tree-kangaroo-2/
How can I help the #Boycott4Wildlife?
Take Action in Five Ways
1. Join the #Boycott4Wildlife on social media and subscribe to stay in the loop: Share posts from this website to your own network on Twitter, Mastadon, Instagram, Facebook and Youtube using the hashtags #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife.
Enter your email address
Sign Up
Join 3,179 other subscribers2. Contribute stories: Academics, conservationists, scientists, indigenous rights advocates and animal rights advocates working to expose the corruption of the palm oil industry or to save animals can contribute stories to the website.
Read moreMel Lumby: Dedicated Devotee to Borneo’s Living Beings
Read moreAnthropologist and Author Dr Sophie Chao
Read moreHealth Physician Dr Evan Allen
Read moreThe World’s Most Loved Cup: A Social, Ethical & Environmental History of Coffee by Aviary Doert
Read moreHow do we stop the world’s ecosystems from going into a death spiral? A #SteadyState Economy
Read more3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.
https://twitter.com/CuriousApe4/status/1526136783557529600?s=20
https://twitter.com/PhillDixon1/status/1749010345555788144?s=20
https://twitter.com/mugabe139/status/1678027567977078784?s=20
4. Take to the streets: Get in touch with Palm Oil Detectives to find out more.
5. Donate: Make a one-off or monthly donation to Palm Oil Detectives as a way of saying thank you and to help pay for ongoing running costs of the website and social media campaigns. Donate here
Pledge your support #Boycott4wildlife #BoycottPalmOil #CriticallyEndangeredSpecies #deforestation #Dendrolagus #endangered #Indonesia #kangaroo #Macropod #Mammal #Marsupial #marsupials #palmoil #PapuaNewGuineaSpeciesEndangeredByPalmOilDeforestation #PapuaNewGuinea #rainforests #Tenkile #TenkileDendrolagusScottae #Tenkiles #timber #treekangaroos -
Tenkile Dendrolagus scottae
Location: Torricelli Mountains and Bewani Range, Papua New Guinea
IUCN Status: Critically Endangered
The #Tenkile, or Scott’s Tree #Kangaroo Dendrolagus scottae, is one of the most endangered #marsupials in the world, found only in the Torricelli Mountains and Bewani Range of #PapuaNewGuinea. These elusive tree kangaroos are unlike others of the #Dendrolagus genus as they spend a lot more time on the ground. These #treekangaroos were once widespread, but decades of hunting for food and deforestation for subsistence farming have driven them to the brink of extinction and they are now critically endangered. By the early 2000s, their population had plummeted to an estimated 100 individuals. However, the Tenkile Conservation Alliance (TCA) has led a community-driven conservation effort that has helped stabilise and even increase their numbers. Despite these successes, #timber and #palmoil expansion stills pose a major threat to this species’ survival. Resist and fight for their survival each time you shop—#BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife.
Appearance and Behaviour
The #Tenkile is a critically #endangered chocolate brown tree #kangaroo 🦘🤎 bouncing in #PapuaNewGuinea’s 🇵🇬 #rainforests #PalmOil is a major threat. Help them, every time you shop #BoycottPalmOil 🌴🪔🤮🧐⛔️ #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect #marsupial https://palmoildetectives.com/2021/01/26/tenkile-dendrolagus-scottae/
Share to BlueSky Share to Twitter#Tenkiles are unlike other #TreeKangaroos as they spend time on the ground leaving them at risk of hunting. They have increased from 100 but #PalmOil #deforestation in #PapuaNewGuinea is a threat #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect #marsupial https://palmoildetectives.com/2021/01/26/tenkile-dendrolagus-scottae/
Share to BlueSky Share to TwitterWith their dense chocolate-brown fur, rounded face, and short, bear-like snout, Tenkile tree kangaroos are uniquely striking among their species. Their long, powerful tail helps them maintain balance while navigating the treetops, though unlike many tree kangaroos, they spend a significant amount of time on the ground. They move carefully and cautiously, using their strong forelimbs to grip branches and their hind legs for leaping between trees.
These tree kangaroos are highly elusive and difficult to spot in the wild. They are usually solitary, but historical accounts suggest they may have once lived in small groups. Due to intense hunting pressure, they have become particularly wary of human presence and avoid areas of disturbance.
Diet
Although no formal diet studies have been conducted, Tenkile tree kangaroos are known to feed on a variety of forest plants, vines, and epiphytes. They have been observed consuming Scaevola and Tetracera vines, as well as leaves from various rainforest species such as Podocarpus, Libocedrus, Auraucaria, Rapanea, and Syzygium. Their diet suggests they play a crucial role in their ecosystem by dispersing seeds and maintaining the health of montane rainforests.
Reproduction and Mating
Unlike some marsupials, Tenkile tree kangaroos do not have a fixed breeding season. Females typically give birth to one or possibly two joeys, which they carry in their pouch while they develop. Very little is known about their reproductive cycle, but as with other tree kangaroos, joeys likely spend months in the pouch before emerging and learning to navigate their treetop habitat. Given their slow reproductive rate, any decline in population is extremely difficult to reverse.
Threats
The Tenkile faces severe threats from hunting and habitat destruction for palm oil, gold mining and timber already present throughout their range.
This species is listed as Critically Endangered because of a rapid population decline suspected to be 90% or more over the last three generations, which in this species is a period of 30 years
IUCN Red ListHunting and human encroachment
For generations, local communities hunted the Tenkile for food, leading to devastating population declines. Increased human population density has made this worse, as more people depend on hunting. However, conservation efforts have drastically reduced hunting, helping stabilise the species in the Torricelli Mountains.
Infrastructure and road construction
Around 75% of the Tenkile’s inferred range is now covered by timber and palm oil concessions, leading to widespread forest loss and fragmentation. Additionally, new roads built for petroleum and gas development have opened up previously inaccessible areas to hunters, worsening the threat.
Palm oil and industrial agriculture
Large-scale palm oil plantations are intruding into the Tenkile’s habitat. As corporate logging and agribusiness expands, the risk of palm oil and commercial plantations replacing their habitat has become a grave risk to their survival.
Climate change-induced extreme weather
As a forest-dwelling species, the Tenkile is highly sensitive to temperature changes. Climate change threatens to alter forest composition, food availability, and disease prevalence, putting additional stress on their already fragile population.
Take Action!
The Tenkile’s survival depends on protecting its rainforest home and ensuring local communities are supported in sustainable conservation efforts. You can help by using your wallet as a weapon—#BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife every time you shop.
FAQs
What does the Tenkile eat?
The Tenkile’s diet consists mainly of forest vines, leaves, and epiphytic ferns, with a preference for plant species like Scaevola and Tetracera. These seed-dispersing tree kangaroos play a crucial ecological role in maintaining rainforest biodiversity.
How is the Tenkile different from other tree kangaroos?
Unlike most tree kangaroos, the Tenkile spends a high proportion of time on the ground rather than staying exclusively in the treetops. This makes them more vulnerable to hunting and habitat destruction.
Why are Tenkile tree kangaroos endangered?
The Tenkile has been severely impacted by hunting and habitat loss from logging, agriculture, and road construction. Despite successful conservation efforts, threats from industrial expansion and climate change continue to endanger its survival.
What is the Tenkile Conservation Alliance (TCA)?
The Tenkile Conservation Alliance is a community-driven conservation group that has helped protect the Tenkile by working with local villages to ban hunting and establish conservation of tree kangaroos and other small marsupials in Papua. Their work has stabilised the Tenkile’s population, proving that local-led conservation efforts can be effective.
How can I help protect the Tenkile?
One of the biggest threats to Tenkile habitat is deforestation, particularly for logging, agriculture, and palm oil expansion. Always choose products that are 100% palm oil-free to avoid contributing to deforestation and biodiversity loss. Support organisations like the Tenkile Conservation Alliance, and spread awareness about this critically endangered species.
Further Information
Flannery, T. F., & Seri, L. (1990). Tree kangaroos of New Guinea. Records of the Australian Museum, 42(3), 237–245. https://journals.australian.museum/flannery-and-seri-1990-rec-aust-mus-423-237245/
Leary, T., Wright, D., Hamilton, S., Helgen, K., Singadan, R., Aplin, K., Dickman, C., Salas, L., Flannery, T., Martin, R. & Seri, L. 2019. Dendrolagus scottae. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2019: e.T6435A21956375. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2019-1.RLTS.T6435A21956375.en. Downloaded on 26 January 2021.
Cannon, J. (2023). Defending a forest for tree kangaroos and people: Q&A with Fidelis Nick. Mongabay https://news.mongabay.com/2023/10/defending-a-forest-for-tree-kangaroos-and-people-qa-with-fidelis-nick/
Tenkile Conservation Alliance. (2024). Tenkile Tree Kangaroo. https://tenkile.com/tenkile-tree-kangaroo-2/
How can I help the #Boycott4Wildlife?
Take Action in Five Ways
1. Join the #Boycott4Wildlife on social media and subscribe to stay in the loop: Share posts from this website to your own network on Twitter, Mastadon, Instagram, Facebook and Youtube using the hashtags #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife.
Enter your email address
Sign Up
Join 3,179 other subscribers2. Contribute stories: Academics, conservationists, scientists, indigenous rights advocates and animal rights advocates working to expose the corruption of the palm oil industry or to save animals can contribute stories to the website.
Read moreMel Lumby: Dedicated Devotee to Borneo’s Living Beings
Read moreAnthropologist and Author Dr Sophie Chao
Read moreHealth Physician Dr Evan Allen
Read moreThe World’s Most Loved Cup: A Social, Ethical & Environmental History of Coffee by Aviary Doert
Read moreHow do we stop the world’s ecosystems from going into a death spiral? A #SteadyState Economy
Read more3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.
https://twitter.com/CuriousApe4/status/1526136783557529600?s=20
https://twitter.com/PhillDixon1/status/1749010345555788144?s=20
https://twitter.com/mugabe139/status/1678027567977078784?s=20
4. Take to the streets: Get in touch with Palm Oil Detectives to find out more.
5. Donate: Make a one-off or monthly donation to Palm Oil Detectives as a way of saying thank you and to help pay for ongoing running costs of the website and social media campaigns. Donate here
Pledge your support #Boycott4wildlife #BoycottPalmOil #CriticallyEndangeredSpecies #deforestation #Dendrolagus #endangered #Indonesia #kangaroo #Macropod #Mammal #Marsupial #marsupials #palmoil #PapuaNewGuineaSpeciesEndangeredByPalmOilDeforestation #PapuaNewGuinea #rainforests #Tenkile #TenkileDendrolagusScottae #Tenkiles #timber #treekangaroos -
Thomas’s Big-eared Bat Pharotis imogene
Thomas’s Big-eared Bat Pharotis imogene
Status: Critically Endangered (IUCN 2016)
Location: Papua New Guinea – Central Province (Kamali District), lowland forests and coastal woodland regions
Thomas’s Big-eared #Bat Pharotis imogene, also known as the #NewGuinea Big-eared Bat, is one of the world’s rarest and most elusive #mammals- they are critically endangered by #PapuaNewGuinea. Thought to be #extinct for over a century, they were rediscovered in 2012 in Central Province, Papua New Guinea, in an area heavily impacted by palm oil deforestation, firewood collection, and land clearing for timber, mines and palm oil. Despite their rediscovery, habitat destruction due to palm oil expansion, logging, mining and human encroachment which continues to threaten their survival. Without urgent intervention, they may disappear again—this time, permanently. Help them every time you shop and #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife
Thomas’s Big Eared #Bats 🦇🖤 have trumpet like ears for ultra sensitive hunting of insects in #PapuaNewGuinea, Only a handful remain alive. #PalmOil and #mining are major threats. #BoycottGold #BoycottPalmOil 🌴🤮☠️⛔ #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect.bsky.social https://palmoildetectives.com/2021/01/26/thomass-big-eared-bat-pharotis-imogene/
Share to BlueSky Share to TwitterThis bat species is threatened by loss of woodland and forest habitat in general, especially in lowland regions near the coast.
IUCN Red List
Appearance and behaviour
Thomas’s Big-eared Bat is a small, insectivorous bat with large ears that likely help them detect prey in dense undergrowth. Unlike other New Guinea bat species, they have a distinctively short, broad muzzle and a paler brownish-grey fur coat. Their large ears may also assist in echolocation, a vital adaptation for hunting in lowland tropical forests. Because they have been recorded in coastal and woodland regions, they are believed to rely on dense vegetation for roosting and foraging, though little is known about their social behaviours.
Threats
Palm oil and agricultural expansion
One of the biggest threats to Thomas’s Big-eared Bat is the expansion of palm oil plantations across Papua New Guinea. These industrial monocultures replace biodiverse forests with barren land, depriving them of the habitat they need to forage and roost. The use of pesticides in palm oil agriculture further contaminates soil and water sources, impacting the entire ecosystem.
Logging and habitat destruction
Widespread commercial logging operations, including the deliberate targeting of protected areas, have devastated much of the lowland and coastal forests where they once thrived. Even in areas where trees remain, habitat fragmentation makes it difficult for small, isolated populations to survive.
Firewood collection and human encroachment
The Kamali District, where Thomas’s Big-eared Bat was rediscovered, is experiencing increasing pressure from local human populations. Firewood collection, land clearing, and small-scale agriculture are rapidly reducing available roosting sites, forcing them into smaller and more vulnerable habitats.
Climate change and extreme weather
The lowland forests of Papua New Guinea are particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change. Rising temperatures, increased droughts, and extreme weather events such as cyclones threaten to disrupt the delicate ecosystem that they depend on for survival.
Diet
Like other members of the Vespertilionidae family, Thomas’s Big-eared Bat is believed to be insectivorous. Their large ears and likely use of echolocation suggest that they prey on moths, beetles, and other nocturnal insects found in the undergrowth of forests. Because they are so rare, there is still much to learn about their specific feeding habits.
Reproduction and mating
Little is known about the reproductive behaviour of Thomas’s Big-eared Bat. Given what is understood about similar species, it is likely that females give birth to one or two offspring at a time, with newborns being highly dependent on their mothers for warmth and nutrition. Their breeding season and specific mating behaviours remain unknown due to a lack of field observations.
Geographic range
Thomas’s Big-eared Bat has only been recorded in Papua New Guinea’s Central Province, particularly in the Kamali District. Their habitat consists of lowland tropical forests and coastal woodlands, which have been increasingly degraded by human activity. They may have once been more widespread, but habitat destruction has likely reduced their range significantly.
FAQs
Are Thomas’s Big-eared Bats extinct?
No, but they were believed to be extinct for over a century until their rediscovery in 2012. However, their population is critically endangered due to severe habitat loss.
Where do Thomas’s Big-eared Bats live?
They are currently only known from Papua New Guinea’s Central Province, specifically in the Kamali District. They inhabit lowland forests and coastal woodlands.
What do Thomas’s Big-eared Bats eat?
They primarily feed on insects, including moths, beetles, and other small nocturnal prey. Their large ears and echolocation abilities help them locate food in dense forests.
Why are Thomas’s Big-eared Bats endangered?
Their biggest threats include habitat destruction caused by palm oil deforestation, logging, firewood collection, palm oil agricultural expansion, and climate change.
Can Thomas’s Big-eared Bats be kept as pets?
Absolutely not. Keeping wild bats as pets is both cruel and illegal. Thomas’s Big-eared Bat is a critically endangered species that belongs in the wild. They have specific ecological needs that cannot be met in captivity.
Take Action!
Every time you shop, you can help protect Thomas’s Big-eared Bat by choosing products that are palm oil free. The expansion of palm oil plantations is one of the biggest drivers of deforestation in Papua New Guinea, pushing species like Thomas’s Big-eared Bat closer to extinction. Support indigenous-led conservation efforts, avoid products that contribute to habitat destruction, and advocate for stronger protections for Papua New Guinea’s forests. Use your voice and wallet to make a difference. #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife
Further Information
Armstrong, K.D., Aplin, K. & Broken-brow, J. 2020. Pharotis imogene. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2020: e.T16887A22114175. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-2.RLTS.T16887A22114175.en. Downloaded on 26 January 2021.
BirdLife International. (2016). Pharotis imogene. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T16887A22114175. https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/16887/22114175
Hamilton, S. (2014). Rediscovery of the New Guinea Big-eared Bat Pharotis imogene from Central Province, Papua New Guinea. Records of the Australian Museum, 66(4), 225–232. https://doi.org/10.3853/j.2201-4349.66.2014.1632
Wikipedia Contributors. (n.d.). New Guinea Big-eared Bat. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Guinea_big-eared_bat
Thomas’s Big-eared Bat Pharotis imogene
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https://twitter.com/CuriousApe4/status/1526136783557529600?s=20
https://twitter.com/PhillDixon1/status/1749010345555788144?s=20
https://twitter.com/mugabe139/status/1678027567977078784?s=20
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Pledge your support#Bat #bats #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4wildlife #BoycottGold #BoycottPalmOil #CriticallyEndangeredSpecies #deforestation #endangered #extinct #Indonesia #Mammal #mammals #mining #NewGuinea #palmoil #PapuaNewGuineaSpeciesEndangeredByPalmOilDeforestation #PapuaNewGuinea #pollination #pollinator #rainforests #ThomasSBigEaredBatPharotisImogene
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Thomas’s Big-eared Bat Pharotis imogene
Thomas’s Big-eared Bat Pharotis imogene
Status: Critically Endangered (IUCN 2016)
Location: Papua New Guinea – Central Province (Kamali District), lowland forests and coastal woodland regions
Thomas’s Big-eared #Bat Pharotis imogene, also known as the #NewGuinea Big-eared Bat, is one of the world’s rarest and most elusive #mammals- they are critically endangered by #PapuaNewGuinea. Thought to be #extinct for over a century, they were rediscovered in 2012 in Central Province, Papua New Guinea, in an area heavily impacted by palm oil deforestation, firewood collection, and land clearing for timber, mines and palm oil. Despite their rediscovery, habitat destruction due to palm oil expansion, logging, mining and human encroachment which continues to threaten their survival. Without urgent intervention, they may disappear again—this time, permanently. Help them every time you shop and #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife
Thomas’s Big Eared #Bats 🦇🖤 have trumpet like ears for ultra sensitive hunting of insects in #PapuaNewGuinea, Only a handful remain alive. #PalmOil and #mining are major threats. #BoycottGold #BoycottPalmOil 🌴🤮☠️⛔ #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect.bsky.social https://palmoildetectives.com/2021/01/26/thomass-big-eared-bat-pharotis-imogene/
Share to BlueSky Share to TwitterThis bat species is threatened by loss of woodland and forest habitat in general, especially in lowland regions near the coast.
IUCN Red List
Appearance and behaviour
Thomas’s Big-eared Bat is a small, insectivorous bat with large ears that likely help them detect prey in dense undergrowth. Unlike other New Guinea bat species, they have a distinctively short, broad muzzle and a paler brownish-grey fur coat. Their large ears may also assist in echolocation, a vital adaptation for hunting in lowland tropical forests. Because they have been recorded in coastal and woodland regions, they are believed to rely on dense vegetation for roosting and foraging, though little is known about their social behaviours.
Threats
Palm oil and agricultural expansion
One of the biggest threats to Thomas’s Big-eared Bat is the expansion of palm oil plantations across Papua New Guinea. These industrial monocultures replace biodiverse forests with barren land, depriving them of the habitat they need to forage and roost. The use of pesticides in palm oil agriculture further contaminates soil and water sources, impacting the entire ecosystem.
Logging and habitat destruction
Widespread commercial logging operations, including the deliberate targeting of protected areas, have devastated much of the lowland and coastal forests where they once thrived. Even in areas where trees remain, habitat fragmentation makes it difficult for small, isolated populations to survive.
Firewood collection and human encroachment
The Kamali District, where Thomas’s Big-eared Bat was rediscovered, is experiencing increasing pressure from local human populations. Firewood collection, land clearing, and small-scale agriculture are rapidly reducing available roosting sites, forcing them into smaller and more vulnerable habitats.
Climate change and extreme weather
The lowland forests of Papua New Guinea are particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change. Rising temperatures, increased droughts, and extreme weather events such as cyclones threaten to disrupt the delicate ecosystem that they depend on for survival.
Diet
Like other members of the Vespertilionidae family, Thomas’s Big-eared Bat is believed to be insectivorous. Their large ears and likely use of echolocation suggest that they prey on moths, beetles, and other nocturnal insects found in the undergrowth of forests. Because they are so rare, there is still much to learn about their specific feeding habits.
Reproduction and mating
Little is known about the reproductive behaviour of Thomas’s Big-eared Bat. Given what is understood about similar species, it is likely that females give birth to one or two offspring at a time, with newborns being highly dependent on their mothers for warmth and nutrition. Their breeding season and specific mating behaviours remain unknown due to a lack of field observations.
Geographic range
Thomas’s Big-eared Bat has only been recorded in Papua New Guinea’s Central Province, particularly in the Kamali District. Their habitat consists of lowland tropical forests and coastal woodlands, which have been increasingly degraded by human activity. They may have once been more widespread, but habitat destruction has likely reduced their range significantly.
FAQs
Are Thomas’s Big-eared Bats extinct?
No, but they were believed to be extinct for over a century until their rediscovery in 2012. However, their population is critically endangered due to severe habitat loss.
Where do Thomas’s Big-eared Bats live?
They are currently only known from Papua New Guinea’s Central Province, specifically in the Kamali District. They inhabit lowland forests and coastal woodlands.
What do Thomas’s Big-eared Bats eat?
They primarily feed on insects, including moths, beetles, and other small nocturnal prey. Their large ears and echolocation abilities help them locate food in dense forests.
Why are Thomas’s Big-eared Bats endangered?
Their biggest threats include habitat destruction caused by palm oil deforestation, logging, firewood collection, palm oil agricultural expansion, and climate change.
Can Thomas’s Big-eared Bats be kept as pets?
Absolutely not. Keeping wild bats as pets is both cruel and illegal. Thomas’s Big-eared Bat is a critically endangered species that belongs in the wild. They have specific ecological needs that cannot be met in captivity.
Take Action!
Every time you shop, you can help protect Thomas’s Big-eared Bat by choosing products that are palm oil free. The expansion of palm oil plantations is one of the biggest drivers of deforestation in Papua New Guinea, pushing species like Thomas’s Big-eared Bat closer to extinction. Support indigenous-led conservation efforts, avoid products that contribute to habitat destruction, and advocate for stronger protections for Papua New Guinea’s forests. Use your voice and wallet to make a difference. #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife
Further Information
Armstrong, K.D., Aplin, K. & Broken-brow, J. 2020. Pharotis imogene. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2020: e.T16887A22114175. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2020-2.RLTS.T16887A22114175.en. Downloaded on 26 January 2021.
BirdLife International. (2016). Pharotis imogene. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T16887A22114175. https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/16887/22114175
Hamilton, S. (2014). Rediscovery of the New Guinea Big-eared Bat Pharotis imogene from Central Province, Papua New Guinea. Records of the Australian Museum, 66(4), 225–232. https://doi.org/10.3853/j.2201-4349.66.2014.1632
Wikipedia Contributors. (n.d.). New Guinea Big-eared Bat. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Guinea_big-eared_bat
Thomas’s Big-eared Bat Pharotis imogene
How can I help the #Boycott4Wildlife?
Take Action in Five Ways
1. Join the #Boycott4Wildlife on social media and subscribe to stay in the loop: Share posts from this website to your own network on Twitter, Mastadon, Instagram, Facebook and Youtube using the hashtags #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife.
Enter your email address
Sign Up
Join 1,391 other subscribers2. Contribute stories: Academics, conservationists, scientists, indigenous rights advocates and animal rights advocates working to expose the corruption of the palm oil industry or to save animals can contribute stories to the website.
Mel Lumby: Dedicated Devotee to Borneo’s Living Beings
Anthropologist and Author Dr Sophie Chao
Health Physician Dr Evan Allen
The World’s Most Loved Cup: A Social, Ethical & Environmental History of Coffee by Aviary Doert
How do we stop the world’s ecosystems from going into a death spiral? A #SteadyState Economy
3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.
https://twitter.com/CuriousApe4/status/1526136783557529600?s=20
https://twitter.com/PhillDixon1/status/1749010345555788144?s=20
https://twitter.com/mugabe139/status/1678027567977078784?s=20
4. Take to the streets: Get in touch with Palm Oil Detectives to find out more.
5. Donate: Make a one-off or monthly donation to Palm Oil Detectives as a way of saying thank you and to help pay for ongoing running costs of the website and social media campaigns. Donate here
Pledge your support#Bat #bats #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4wildlife #BoycottGold #BoycottPalmOil #CriticallyEndangeredSpecies #deforestation #endangered #extinct #Indonesia #Mammal #mammals #mining #NewGuinea #palmoil #PapuaNewGuineaSpeciesEndangeredByPalmOilDeforestation #PapuaNewGuinea #pollination #pollinator #rainforests #ThomasSBigEaredBatPharotisImogene
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Black Dorcopsis Dorcopsis atrata
Black Dorcopsis Dorcopsis atrata
IUCN Red List Status: Critically Endangered
Location: The Black Dorcopsis, also known as the Black Forest Wallaby, is found only on Goodenough Island in the D’Entrecasteaux Archipelago, Papua New Guinea. They inhabit lowland and montane forests, preferring dense vegetation at elevations between 300 and 1,500 metres.
The Black Dorcopsis is a rare and elusive wallaby, crucial to the health of Goodenough Island’s forest ecosystem in Papua New Guinea. However, their survival is under severe threat due to hunting and the relentless destruction of their habitat by logging, palm oil plantations, and subsistence agriculture. Without urgent conservation action, this unique species could vanish forever. Protecting them requires halting deforestation, boycotting palm oil, and supporting indigenous-led conservation initiatives. #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife
Small bouncy #marsupials 🦘🦘 Black Dorcopis 🖤 are critically #endangered on the edge of survival in GoodEnough Island #PapuaNewGuinea due to #palmoil #deforestation Help them survive #BoycottPalmOil 🌴🪔💩🤮☠️⛔️ #Boycott4Wildlife @palmoildetect https://palmoildetectives.com/2021/01/26/black-dorcopsis-dorcopsis-atrata/
Share to BlueSky Share to TwitterAppearance and Behaviour
- The Black Dorcopsis is one of the few macropod species found exclusively on a single island, highlighting their ecological and evolutionary uniqueness.
- Their dark grey to black fur, with subtle grey accents, helps them blend seamlessly into the shadows of the forest, making them almost invisible to predators and humans.
- Despite their nocturnal and elusive nature, they are a keystone species, playing a critical role in maintaining the health of Goodenough Island’s forests.
The Black Dorcopsis is a medium-sized macropod with a dense coat of fur ranging in colour from dark grey to black. Subtle grey highlights appear on their face, chest, and undersides, softening the otherwise dark hues. This unique colouring offers effective camouflage in the dimly lit forest undergrowth.
Adults weigh up to 8 kilograms and measure around 50 centimetres in body length, with an additional 30–40 centimetres for their long, tapering tail. Their strong hind legs and short, muscular forelimbs allow them to move swiftly and silently through rugged terrain. Black Dorcopsis like many other macropods and tree kangaroos are shy and nocturnal, emerging under the cover of darkness to forage. Their secretive nature makes them a challenge to study in the wild.
Diet
Black Dorcopsis are herbivores, feeding on a diet of fruits, leaves, roots, and other vegetation found on the forest floor. Their role as seed dispersers makes them crucial to the health and regeneration of Goodenough Island’s forests. By consuming and spreading seeds, they contribute to maintaining the biodiversity of their ecosystem.
Reproduction and Mating
Like other macropods, the Black Dorcopsis gives birth to a single joey after a short gestation period. The joey remains in the mother’s pouch for several months, continuing to develop until it is ready to emerge. Although specific details of their reproductive habits are unknown, their life cycle likely mirrors other forest wallabies, involving strong maternal care and seasonal breeding.
Geographic Range
This critically endangered wallaby is endemic to Goodenough Island, a small volcanic island with rugged terrain and limited forest cover. Their range is confined to approximately 687 square kilometres of lowland and montane forests. Habitat fragmentation and human encroachment have reduced their available range, isolating populations into smaller patches and threatening their long-term survival.
Threats
The forest habitat of this species is being cleared by slash-and-burn agriculture and is rapidly being converted to grassland.
IUCN Red List
Palm Oil and Timber Deforestation:
Logging for timber plantations and the expansion of out-of-control palm oil plantations are the most significant threats to the Black Dorcopsis. These activities destroy vital forests, leaving the wallabies with fewer safe areas to live and forage. Habitat loss and fragmentation reduce their chances of survival and force them into contact with humans, increasing hunting pressures.
Illegal Hunting:
The Black Dorcopsis is heavily hunted for subsistence by local communities. Despite their small population size and critically endangered status, hunting remains a significant threat, exacerbated by their restricted range.
Slash-and-Burn Agriculture:
The practice of clearing forests for subsistence farming depletes the habitat of Black Dorcopsis, further isolating their populations and limiting the resources available for foraging and reproduction.
Climate Change:
Rising temperatures and shifting rainfall patterns threaten the montane forests that the Black Dorcopsis depends on. As a high-altitude specialist, this species is particularly vulnerable to these changes, which degrade their already limited habitat.
Ecological Role
As herbivores, Black Dorcopsis are vital to the ecosystem of Goodenough Island. By consuming forest fruits and dispersing seeds, they contribute to the regeneration of vegetation and maintain the biodiversity of their habitat. Their presence is essential to the balance and health of this unique forest ecosystem.
Take Action
The Black Dorcopsis is teetering on the edge of extinction, and their survival depends on immediate action. Boycott palm oil products, demand responsible forestry practices, and support indigenous-led conservation initiatives in Papua New Guinea. Raising awareness and advocating for stronger protections for their habitat are crucial to ensuring this unique species does not disappear. #BoycottPalmOil #Boycott4Wildlife
Black Dorcopsis Dorcopsis atrata
Further Information
Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF). (n.d.). Dorcopsis atrata. Retrieved from https://www.gbif.org/species/165474543
Leary, T., Wright, D., Hamilton, S., Singadan, R., Menzies, J., Bonaccorso, F., Helgen, K., Seri, L., Allison, A. & James, R. 2016. Dorcopsis atrata. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T6794A21952571. https://dx.doi.org/10.2305/IUCN.UK.2016-2.RLTS.T6794A21952571.en. Downloaded on 26 January, 2021.
The Conversation. (2023). Meet 5 marvellous mammals of the South Pacific you’ve probably never heard of. Retrieved from https://theconversation.com/meet-5-marvellous-mammals-of-the-south-pacific-youve-probably-never-heard-of-209038
How can I help the #Boycott4Wildlife?
Take Action in Five Ways
1. Join the #Boycott4Wildlife on social media and subscribe to stay in the loop: Share posts from this website to your own network on Twitter, Mastadon, Instagram, Facebook and Youtube using the hashtags #Boycottpalmoil #Boycott4Wildlife.
Enter your email address
Sign Up
Join 1,391 other subscribers2. Contribute stories: Academics, conservationists, scientists, indigenous rights advocates and animal rights advocates working to expose the corruption of the palm oil industry or to save animals can contribute stories to the website.
Mel Lumby: Dedicated Devotee to Borneo’s Living Beings
Anthropologist and Author Dr Sophie Chao
Health Physician Dr Evan Allen
The World’s Most Loved Cup: A Social, Ethical & Environmental History of Coffee by Aviary Doert
How do we stop the world’s ecosystems from going into a death spiral? A #SteadyState Economy
3. Supermarket sleuthing: Next time you’re in the supermarket, take photos of products containing palm oil. Share these to social media along with the hashtags to call out the greenwashing and ecocide of the brands who use palm oil. You can also take photos of palm oil free products and congratulate brands when they go palm oil free.
https://twitter.com/CuriousApe4/status/1526136783557529600?s=20
https://twitter.com/PhillDixon1/status/1749010345555788144?s=20
https://twitter.com/mugabe139/status/1678027567977078784?s=20
4. Take to the streets: Get in touch with Palm Oil Detectives to find out more.
5. Donate: Make a one-off or monthly donation to Palm Oil Detectives as a way of saying thank you and to help pay for ongoing running costs of the website and social media campaigns. Donate here
Pledge your support#BlackDorcopsisDorcopsisAtrata #Boycott4wildlife #BoycottPalmOil #CriticallyEndangeredSpecies #deforestation #endangered #Indonesia #Macropod #Mammal #Marsupial #marsupials #palmoil #PapuaNewGuineaSpeciesEndangeredByPalmOilDeforestation #PapuaNewGuinea #SeedDispersers #seeddispersal #WestPapua