Huon tree-kangaroo
Matschie's tree-kangaroo (Dendrolagus matschiei ), also known as the Huon tree-kangaroo is a tree-kangaroo native to the Huon Peninsula of northeastern New Guinea island, within the nation of Papua New Guinea. Under the IUCN classification, Matschie's tree-kangaroo is an endangered species. The scientific name honours German biologist Paul Matschie. The indigenous population refers to it as a Boongarry.
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DiurnalDiurnal animals are active during the daytime, with a period of sleeping or other inactivity at night. The timing of activity by an animal depends ...
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NocturnalNocturnality is an animal behavior characterized by being active during the night and sleeping during the day. The common adjective is "nocturnal",...
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HerbivoreA herbivore is an animal anatomically and physiologically adapted to eating plant material, for example, foliage, for the main component of its die...
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FolivoreIn zoology, a folivore is a herbivore that specializes in eating leaves. Mature leaves contain a high proportion of hard-to-digest cellulose, less ...
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ArborealArboreal locomotion is the locomotion of animals in trees. In habitats in which trees are present, animals have evolved to move in them. Some anima...
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TerrestrialTerrestrial animals are animals that live predominantly or entirely on land (e.g., cats, ants, snails), as compared with aquatic animals, which liv...
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JumpingJumping (saltation) can be distinguished from running, galloping, and other gaits where the entire body is temporarily airborne by the relatively l...
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AltricialAltricial animals are those species whose newly hatched or born young are relatively immobile. They lack hair or down, are not able to obtain food ...
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Island endemicIsland endemic animals are found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island. Animals or organisms that are indigenous to a place ar...
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ViviparousAmong animals, viviparity is the development of the embryo inside the body of the parent. The term 'viviparity' and its adjective form 'viviparous'...
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PolygynandryPolygynandry is a mating system in which both males and females have multiple mating partners during a breeding season.
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Not a migrantAnimals that do not make seasonal movements and stay in their native home ranges all year round are called not migrants or residents.
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starts withMatschie’s tree-kangaroo is one of 13 species of tree-kangaroo. As arboreal animal, it spends most of its time in trees. When hopping and walking, the animal moves its limbs alternately, as opposed to other kangaroos. The forelimbs are strong and powerful, and the hind limbs are independent, making the animal an excellent climber. The animal has rubbery pads on its feet, and the claws are curved, providing good traction and allowing the kangaroo to easily grasp objects.
Huon Peninsula (Papua New Guinea) and the nearby island of Umboi (where the animal is considered to be introduced) are the only areas, where this kangaroo is endemic to. The preferred habitat of the Matschie’s tree-kangaroo is mountainous tropical deciduous and tropical rainforest.
Matschie’s tree-kangaroo is a solitary animal, which ignores conspecifics even in the same tree. Both males and females have their own territories, while these of males are usually larger, overlapping with territories of several females and increasing their opportunities of breeding. These arboreal animals spend the greater part of their time in trees, sometimes coming to the ground in order to feed. Matschie's tree-kangaroos can be active both by day and night. When on the ground, these animals are extremely slow and clumsy. When in the trees, they are considerably nimbler; good climbers and jumpers, they easily leap from branch to branch. However, these kangaroos spend about 60% of their time sleeping. They usually fall asleep in any tree they happen to be. They sense the environment through their vision, touch, smell, and hearing. Matschie’s tree-kangaroos communicate with each other primarily through chemical cues as well as visual displays, touch and vocalizations.
Primarily a folivorous animal, this kangaroo favors mature leaves, complementing its diet with wild fruits, flowers, nuts, bark, sap, insects, bird eggs as well as young birds.
Matschie’s tree-kangaroos have polygynandrous (promiscuous) mating system, where both sexes mate with multiple mates. They breed at any time of year and have the longest gestation period for a marsupial, lasting for 39 - 45 days. Female gives birth to a single baby, which crawls into the pouch of its mother, remaining there for around 90 - 100 days. By 300 days old, the young first comes out of the mother's pouch, after which it continues to return in order to nurse. Finally, by the age of 350 days, the joey is completely independent of the pouch. The weaned joey leaves its mother and establishes a territory of its own. Sexual maturity is reached with 2 - 2.5 years old.
Currently, Matschie’s tree-kangaroo greatly suffers from destruction of its natural habitat from logging. The animal is threatened by mining and oil operations. And finally, the succulent meat of this species attracts aboriginal people of Papua New Guinea, who hunt this animal, posing a serious threat to its survival.
The overall population number of the Matschie’s tree-kangaroo is not known, according to the IUCN Red List. However, considering low population density of this kangaroo, the highest number of mature individuals can hardly be more than 2,500 individuals. Currently, this species is classified as Endangered (EN), and its numbers are decreasing.
