Ornate tree-kangaroo
Goodfellow's tree-kangaroo (Dendrolagus goodfellowi ) also called the ornate tree-kangaroo, belongs to the family Macropodidae, which includes kangaroos, wallabies and their relatives, and the genus Dendrolagus, with eleven other species. The species is native to the rainforests of New Guinea, and the border of central Irian Jaya in Indonesia. Under the IUCN classification, the species is listed as endangered, which is a result of overhunting and human encroachment on their habitat. They are named after British zoological collector Walter Goodfellow.
Goodfellow’s tree-kangaroo has soft reddish-brown fur and golden bands on their tail. Meanwhile, each individual has its own unique pattern of brown. The limbs, face and underbelly of the animal are golden colored. This kangaroo exhibits two bands, stretching upwards from its long tail to its back. Being a tree-kangaroo, this animal has a number of differences with the commonly known ground kangaroos, since it has adapted to arboreal lifestyle. In addition, as opposed to their ground-dwelling relatives, these kangaroos are able to move their hind feet independently. The limbs are strong and powerful, having rubbery soles, which help the animal easily grasp tree branches, whereas the tail provides balance.
The habitat of Goodfellow’s tree-kangaroo is dense tropical rainforest as well as deciduous forests over mountainous ranges. The animal is distributed from the border of central Irian Jaya (Indonesia) to central and eastern Papua New Guinea.
Goodfellow’s tree kangaroo is a territorial and solitary animal. Territories of male kangaroos are larger, overlapping these of several females. Those living in areas with high population density are typically nocturnal, whereas those in captivity and in rarely-visited areas in the wild are most active in the morning and afternoon. Generally, however, these animals avoid densely populated areas. Goodfellow’s tree kangaroos forage on the ground, staying near trees in order to find shelter in a case of danger. After feeding, the animal sleeps, saving energy while the food is being digested. Goodfellow’s tree kangaroo spends 60% of its time sleeping wherever it feels safe, since the animal does not have a specific sleeping site.
The diet of this herbivorous kangaroo primarily consists of Silkwood leaves, supplemented with flowers, shoots, creepers, ferns, cereals, fruits and grasses.
Goodfellow’s tree-kangaroos are polygamous, meaning that each male can mate with multiple females. Goodfellow's tree-kangaroos mate at any time of year without having any specific mating season. The gestation period last for 21 - 38 days, and a single young is usually born. As soon as being born, the joey climbs into its mother's pouch without any help, living there for the first 10 - 12 months of its life. Leaving the pouch, the young still returns to nurse for the following several months. It becomes fully independent after 11-13 months and reaches maturity at 2 years of age.
Presently, these animals are hunted for food across the area of their habitat. Goodfellow’s tree-kangaroos are also traded for cultural reasons by local people. Furthermore, loss of habitat is among other serious threats: deforestation for timber, coffee, rice (dryland) as well as wheat plantations pose a notable concern for the population of this species.
According to the IUCN Red List, the total population size of the Goodfellow’s tree-kangaroo is unknown for today. The species is currently classified as Endangered (EN), and its numbers are decreasing.
