Tree-kangaroo

Goodfellow Tree Kangaroo

Tree kangaroos ( Dendrolagus ) are a genus of the family of kangaroos ( Macropodidae ). The members of this genus have been contrary to other kangaroos at a arboreal ( tree-dwelling ) adapted lifestyle and thus do not correspond to the common kangaroo model. All species live in Oceania and feed on different plant species and sharing.

Dissemination

Tree kangaroos come in Guinea ( bird head peninsula, West Papua and Papua New Guinea in lowland and montane rain forest as well as in the subalpine zone) and on the Cape York Peninsula in northeastern Australia (Queensland ) in front of where they live in forests and rainforests.

Physique

Tree kangaroos are usually about 1.3 to 1.8 meters long, the head-body length is about 50 to 80 centimeters, the tail length of 50 to 90 centimeters. Weight ranging from 5 to 18 kg. The coat is at the top of black or gray-brown, with some species also patterned. The underside is often whitish.

Compared to their ground-living relatives have tree kangaroos shorter, stockier legs with wider soles with sole pads and powerful forelimbs. Reminiscent of bear claws, long curved claws are another adaptation to the arboreal life. The ears are rounded and the muzzle shorter than other kangaroo species. The tail is hairy and uniform thickness. The difference in length of the hind limbs between ground-dwelling kangaroos and tree kangaroos is significant: For tree kangaroos hindlimbs have 90-110 % of the body length of linear expansion, while 160% are the Agile Wallaby ( Macropus agilis ).

Lifestyle and diet

Tree kangaroos live in higher altitude rainforests. They are skillful climbers and jump over 9 meters from one tree to the next. According to reports, they can choose from 18 m height jump on the ground without getting hurt. During the day they hide in the trees and go out at night in search of food, which they often come on the ground. On the ground they move with little hops and act awkward than on trees. Their diet consists mainly of leaves and fruits.

Reproduction

Many aspects of reproduction have tree kangaroos with the other kangaroos in common: After about 30 days of gestation period usually comes only one young is born, it stays in the bag for almost a year. Tree kangaroos can be 20 years old.

Threat

Tree kangaroos are the largest tree-dwelling marsupials and have except boas and the Dingo few natural enemies. The deforestation of the rainforests is their greatest threat. In addition, they are also hunted for their fur and meat. Three types are classified by the IUCN as endangered, two as endangered.

The types

  • The Bennett - tree kangaroo ( Dendrolagus bennettianus ) is widespread in northeastern Queensland.
  • The Doria - tree kangaroo ( Dendrolagus Dorianus ) inhabited large parts of New Guinea 600-3600 m altitude. It is the thickest and most robust of the tree kangaroos and very well-fortified.
  • The Goodfellow Tree Kangaroo ( Dendrolagus goodfellowi ) is native to the eastern New Guinea. It is considered threatened and is poorly understood.
  • The gray tree kangaroo ( Dendrolagus inustus ) lives in the northern and western New Guinea and offshore islands. Discovered as early as 1825 but we know little about this species, it seems to be the heaviest of all tree kangaroos. A copy of the Gladys Porter Zoo (USA) weighs 23 kg.
  • The Lumholtz Tree Kangaroo ( Dendrolagus lumholtzi ), named after Carl Sophus Lumholtz is widespread in north-eastern Queensland.
  • The Matschie Tree Kangaroo with bright spots ( Dendrolagus matschiei, Foster and Rothschild 1907) is native to Papua New Guinea. It is considered threatened, but is the most common tree kangaroo in zoo. Each animal has its own individual color patches.
  • The Dingiso ( Dendrolagus mbaiso ) lives in West Papua in the central Sudirman - Bergland ( Lorentz National Park ). It was found beneath the Grasberg mine in the mining town of Tembagapura. In the western area of ​​distribution it is not hunted by the Moni, who consider the whistling, living on the ground animal as one of their ancestors.
  • The Golden-mantled tree kangaroo ( Dendrolagus pulcherrimus ) was discovered in the Torricelli Mountains, Papua New Guinea. It is the smallest of all tree kangaroos and the most endangered species in 2006 were discovered deposits in Foja Mountains in West Papua.
  • The Black Tree Kangaroo ( Dendrolagus scottae ) occurs in the Torricelli Mountains in the north of Papua New Guinea. It is considered threatened.
  • The Lowland Tree Kangaroo ( Dendrolagus spadix ) inhabited the southern New Guinea from the Lorentz National Park to Fly.
  • Seri - tree kangaroo ( Dendrolagus Stellarum ) from New Guinea was formerly regarded as a subspecies of Doria - tree kangaroos. It lives above 2,600 meters. Flannery describes it as the prettiest of the Dorianus group.
  • The Bear Tree Kangaroo ( Dendrolagus ursinus ) just depends on the bird's head peninsula at the western tip of New Guinea before (English name: Bird Head Tree Kangaroo ). Although it was the first tree kangaroo a scientific name, yet very little is known about it.
  • The Wondiwoi Tree Kangaroo ( Drendrolagus Mayri ) is only from the holotype from 1928 known.

Etymology

The still valid scientific names Dendrolagus got this genus from its discoverer Salomon Müller. This means tree hare ' and probably came from the jump agility of these animals and the arboreal lifestyle ( dendron, tree ', lagos, hare ').

Glacial relatives of tree kangaroos

In the Ice Age, there were significantly greater tree kangaroos in Australia. These belonged to the genus Bohra and were about twice as large as today's species. Interestingly, their remains were also found in the now completely treeless Nullarbor Plain. Even at the time this tree kangaroos housed the relatively dry region no extensive forests. Therefore, it is believed that the animals went on the smaller trees standing singles to reach the foliage.

Australidelphia Diprotodontia Grasberg-Mine Tim Flannery Bernhard Grzimek Mamberamo River
109121
de