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| Tree Kangaroo |
Tree Kangaroo Animal Facts And Information with Pictures
There are about 14 species of tree kangaroos that belong to the genus Dendrolagus. Most of these species live in Australia, West Papua and Papua New Guinea. Tree kangaroos are good climbers who move very fast whereas terrestrial kangaroos make jumps on the ground. Kangaroos have a pouch in front of them in which they keep their babies and give birth to only one baby in a year.
Tree kangaroos do not sweat like terrestrial kangaroos. Any mammal needs to sweat to cool its body. But they produce sweat by licking their bodies and allowing saliva to evaporate, which has a cooling effect on their skin.
Their habitat is in trees and they feed on leaves, wild fruits, grass shoots, buds and ferns. They have disrupted arboreal movements because they spend most of their time in trees. Many species of these kangaroos are endangered due to hunting and habitat destruction.
Deforestation is another main reason for the loss of habitat of these kangaroos due to which they are becoming extinct. Because these kangaroos are endangered, there is a great need for conservation of these species. Many conservation groups have been formed for their protection and conservation. Let us know about the life of kangaroos living on trees and start this article,
1. Tree kangaroos live mostly in the rain forests of Australia, West Papua and Papua New Guinea. It is found mainly in the rain forests of northeastern Australia and New Guinea. A tree kangaroo is related to the terrestrial kangaroo as they both belong to the same family of Marcopodidae.
2. Tree kangaroos live in trees most of the time and rarely come to the ground whereas terrestrial kangaroos spend most of their time jumping on the ground. Tree kangaroos can swim very well when needed even though it is not their regular activity.
3. Some tree kangaroo species are becoming extinct due to deforestation and hunting by local people for food and due to habitat loss. According to IUCN 2014, the number of tree kangaroos left is low.
4. Habitat destruction due to mining and deforestation is also a cause of extinction. The World Wildlife Organization is working to eliminate poaching and illegal logging and mining of these kangaroos.
5. The scientific name of tree kangaroo is Dendrolagus. The tree kangaroo is an animal of the marsupial species of the genus Dendrolagus that looks similar to kangaroos but is smaller in size. Tree kangaroos belong to the mammalian class.
6. The habitat of the tree kangaroo is trees and rain forests. Mountainous areas are also the habitat for most of them except lowland tree kangaroos. Maatschies tree kangaroo mothers live solitary lives leaving their bonds with their babies.
7. A mother and her offspring stay together until the offspring are old enough to care for themselves. The baby tree kangaroo leaves the mother at 18 months of age and builds a new home.
8. Tree kangaroos look like normal kangaroos but are smaller in size. Different species are found in which there is very little difference. A tree kangaroo has a long, thick tail, long hind legs and sharp long nails.
9. Tree kangaroos have a sponge-like grip on their feet and claws. Their fur is various shades of brown. Their faces are light cream colored and like other kangaroos, tree kangaroos also have a pouch in front.
10. Tree kangaroos are about 20-30 tall except for the tail and are smaller than terrestrial kangaroos. Their tail is also as large as their head and body length. Read- Top 29 Unique Facts About Shoebill With Picture
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| Tree Kangaroo |
11 To 21 Interesting Facts About Tree Kangaroo
11. Tail plays an important role in maintaining balance while walking on trees. The weight of a tree kangaroo ranges from about 6-15 kg. Different species of tree kangaroo weigh different things.
12. If tree kangaroo is kept in a zoo, it eats leaves and fruits. In the wild these kangaroos eat buds, some types of flowers, tree bark, ferns and grass shoots.
13. Female tree kangaroos reach reproductive age when they are two years old. During mating, the female comes to the ground and approaches the male. Then the male licks with his tongue, hisses and then mounts the female. The mating process lasts for an hour.
14. The gestation period lasts for 35-44 days and after the gestation period a small baby comes out and crawls into its mother's pouch. The child is called Joy.
15. The baby attaches itself to one nipple of the mother and drinks her milk and grows very fast. The child comes in and out of the pouch for a certain period of time and comes out of the pouch at 10 months. The lifespan of the tree kangaroo is approximately 18-25 years.
16. A tree kangaroo moves very fast and is difficult to spot and hence the local people call it the ghost of the forest. Because they are adapted to life in trees, they climb very fast. They move very fast, using their claws, strong limbs and long tail to climb trees.
17. The tree kangaroo senses its surroundings through sight, touch and smell. Tree kangaroos communicate through visual displays, singing, tactile and chemical signals.
18. There are about 14 different species of tree kangaroo found in the world. There are two tree kangaroo species in northeastern Australia and the remaining tree kangaroo species and subspecies exist on the island of New Guinea.
19. The Matschies tree kangaroo is found only on the Huon Peninsula in northeastern Papua New Guinea. These are endangered species and their population in the wild is less than 2500.
20. Tree kangaroos are not extinct but endangered. The biggest threats to their survival are deforestation and habitat loss in Papua New Guinea due to local people hunting them for food.
21. Tree kangaroos are very quiet animals. But there is a slight possibility that male tree kangaroos may sometimes become aggressive and attack people. Tree kangaroos are very calm animals and can make good pets. But it is illegal to keep them as pets because they are endangered and therefore protected. Read- Top 31 Interesting Facts About Emu With Picture
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| Tree Kangaroo |
Tree Kangaroo Facts For Kids
1. Why is the kangaroo tree endangered?
The major threats facing their species are hunting and habitat loss. Tree kangaroos have been hunted for food by people throughout their range and have contributed to drastic declines in numbers for many species.
2. How rare are tree kangaroos?
According to IUCN 2014, the number of tree kangaroos left is low. These are endangered species and their population in the wild is less than 2500.
3. What do tree kangaroos eat?
Their habitat is in trees and they feed on leaves, wild fruits, grass shoots, buds and ferns.
4. Are tree kangaroos native to Australia?
There are about 14 species of tree kangaroos that belong to the genus Dendrolagus. Most of these species live in Australia, West Papua and Papua New Guinea.
5. Are tree kangaroos herbivores?
Tree kangaroos are herbivores and their diet consists mainly of leaves, roots, seasonal fruits and bark. They spend hours in their tree habitat searching for leaves and fruits, but sometimes they also roam the ground in search of more food.
6. Do tree kangaroos sleep in trees?
Despite their climbing and jumping abilities, tree kangaroos sleep 60 percent of the time and remain curled up in whatever tree they are in.
7. Are tree kangaroos smart?
Tree kangaroos are considered more intelligent than other kangaroos. But more than 20% of the world's tree kangaroos are listed as Critically Endangered on the IUCN Red List
8. How big is a tree kangaroo?
Tree kangaroos are about 20–30 tall excluding the tail and are smaller than terrestrial kangaroos. Their tail is also as large as their head and body length.
9. What color is the kangaroo tree?
Tree kangaroos have spongy grip on their feet and toes. Their fur is various shades of brown. Their faces are light cream colored and like other kangaroos, tree kangaroos also have a pouch in front.