Goodfellow's tree-kangaroo

Goodfellow's tree-kangaroo is a kangaroo that has moved into the trees. It lives in mountain rainforests of New Guinea, in Papua New Guinea and the Indonesian part of the island. It has short, woolly chestnut to red-brown fur, a grey-brown face, golden-yellow cheeks and feet, a pale belly, and a long golden-brown tail with two golden stripes on its rump. It weighs about 7 kilograms.

Unlike ground kangaroos, its front and back legs are about the same length, and its strong forelimbs have hooked claws for gripping branches. The long tail helps with balance. On the ground it is slow and clumsy. It is listed as endangered because of habitat loss and hunting.

Up in the trees

The tree-kangaroo climbs by jumping up the trunk while its forelimbs slide upward. It eats leaves, fruit, flowers and grasses, especially leaves of the silkwood tree. A large stomach ferments the plant food, much like in cattle. It can jump to the ground from about 9 metres up without harm.

Name and relatives

The species is named after the British collector Walter Goodfellow. It has two subspecies, including Buergers' tree-kangaroo. Like all kangaroos it carries its baby in a pouch. It is one of about a dozen tree-kangaroo species in the genus Dendrolagus. Its main threats are habitat loss and hunting, and it lives high in the mountains where forests are being cleared. It is one of about a dozen tree-kangaroo species.

On the globe

On the toy globe Goodfellow's tree-kangaroo sits in the mountain rainforest of New Guinea. Look for the golden tail and chestnut fur.