The Huon Tree Kangaroo is a rare kangaroo that is very good at climbing trees. Unfortunately, it is on the brink of extinction as precious forests are being converted into farmland.
Body length: 45.5-61.5cm
Tail length: 40.8-50.5cm
(Source: Doubutsu Sekai-isan* Red Data Animals Kodansha) (*World Animal Heritage)
The Huon Tree Kangaroo can only be found on the Huon Peninsula on the northeast coast of Papua New Guinea. They live in forests that are usually foggy.
The Huon Tree Kangaroo loves to eat tree leaves. They also eat grass shoots and flowers.
Unlike other species of kangaroos, the Huon Tree Kangaroo spends most of its time living in trees. They even eat and sleep in trees.
Their precious forests are disappearing...
The Huon Tree Kangaroo lives only on the Huon Peninsula of Papua New Guinea. Usually we think of kangaroos as animals that hop around grasslands. However, Huon Tree Kangaroos are an exception. They live in forests and are more adept at climbing trees than they are at moving on land. Today, as the population on the Huon Peninsula grows, more and more of the kangaroo's precious forests are being converted into farmland. Continued habitat loss is pushing the Huon Tree Kangaroo toward the brink of extinction.
Learning about these animals is the first step!
Recently, conservation efforts have started. But because they are rare animals to begin with, there is little we know about their ecology, or how they live in the wilderness, such as the kind of food they eat and how they raise their children. Conservation is difficult for any animal unless we know more about their ecology. Therefore, the first step to saving the Huon Tree Kangaroo is to protect their remaining habitats. In the meantime, we can study their ecology.
If you click the words above, you can see other animals related to this one.