#treekangaroo — Public Fediverse posts
Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #treekangaroo, aggregated by home.social.
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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 https://palmoildetectives.com/2021/02/03/lowlands-tree-kangaroo-dendrolagus-spadix/?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=Palm+Oil+Detectives&utm_campaign=publer
https://palmoildetectives.com/2021/02/03/lowlands-tree-kangaroo-dendrolagus-spadix/?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=Palm+Oil+Detectives&utm_campaign=publer -
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 https://palmoildetectives.com/2021/02/03/lowlands-tree-kangaroo-dendrolagus-spadix/?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=Palm+Oil+Detectives&utm_campaign=publer
https://palmoildetectives.com/2021/02/03/lowlands-tree-kangaroo-dendrolagus-spadix/?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=Palm+Oil+Detectives&utm_campaign=publer -
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 https://palmoildetectives.com/2021/02/03/lowlands-tree-kangaroo-dendrolagus-spadix/?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=Palm+Oil+Detectives&utm_campaign=publer
https://palmoildetectives.com/2021/02/03/lowlands-tree-kangaroo-dendrolagus-spadix/?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=Palm+Oil+Detectives&utm_campaign=publer -
A Golden-mantled Tree Kangaroo (Dendrolagus pulcherrimus) photographed by a camera trap set in the Foja Mountains, an isolated north coastal range situated in the NW Lowlands of WNG.
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Baby season is rapidly approaching - here’s a cute baby photo. Tree Kangaroos are a bit rare in Australia, tropical only. This one at Healesville Sanctuary was really proud of her first joey - and posed to show him off to me.
#Photography #Nature #NaturePhotography #AustralianNature #Marsupial #Baby #Joey #TreeKangaroo #DendrolagusGoodfellowi #ProudMum -
Thermal Drones Discover ‘Near-Mythical’ Tree Kangaroos https://petapixel.com/2025/04/17/thermal-drones-discover-near-mythical-tree-kangaroos/ #thermaldrones #treekangaroo #australia #kangaroo #drone #News
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A grizzled tree-kangaroo (Dendrolagus inustus) at a private collection in Jakarta, Indonesia. This species is listed as vulnerable by IUCN.
joelsartore.com/gallery/the-photo-ark/27/
@photography
#animals
#TreeKangaroo
#JoelSartore
#PhotoArk© Joel Sartore 2023
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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
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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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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
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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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
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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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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.
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Golden-mantled Tree Kangaroo Dendrolagus pulcherrimus
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