Goodfellow’s Tree-Kangaroo

Description

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 coloured. The species weighs anywhere between 7.3kg-7.5kg and can grow to 80cm in length from nose to tip of tail. 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 species lifespan is generally between 8-14 years.

Habitat

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.

Diet

The diet of this herbivorous kangaroo primarily consists of Silkwood leaves, supplemented with flowers, shoots, creepers, ferns, cereals, fruits and grasses.

Reproduction

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.