Matschie tree kangaroo
| Matschie tree kangaroo | ||||||||||||
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Matschie tree kangaroo ( Dendrolagus matschiei ) |
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| Dendrolagus matschiei | ||||||||||||
| Förster & Rothschild , 1907 |
The Matschie tree kangaroo ( Dendrolagus matschiei ) is endemic to the Huon Peninsula in northeast New Guinea . A population on Umboi Island was likely introduced by humans. The scientific name honors the German biologist Paul Matschie .
Appearance
The Matschie tree kangaroo is a medium-sized, short-tailed tree kangaroo. Females reach a head trunk length of 51 to 63 cm, males are in most cases 61 to 66 cm larger. The tail of the females is 45.5 to 68.5 cm in length and the male is 55.5 to 62 cm long. The weight of the animals is between 7 and 10.5 kg. The fur is dense and rich in contrast. The basic color is brown, throat, chest, forearms and lower legs, the insides of arms and legs, hands and feet, the tail, the muzzle and the ears are light yellowish. The exact extent of the light fur areas are individually different.
Habitat and way of life
The Matschie tree kangaroo lives in tropical mountain rainforests at altitudes of 1000 to 3300 meters and is largely active at night or at dawn. The animals are solitary, not frequent and inhabit relatively extensive territories, usually over 120 hectares in size. Overlaps with the territories of other animals of the same sex occur. A core territory may, however, be defended. The territories of the males overlap with those of several females. Matschie tree kangaroos feed primarily on leaves of trees, shrubs, ferns, orchids and herbs. Fruits and flowers are also eaten, but only make up a small part of the diet. In total, Matschie tree kangaroos eat parts of over 100 plant species. The animals feed on trees as well as on the ground. Captive tree kangaroos also eat eggs and meat, and catch small birds that they can reach.
Matschie tree kangaroos reproduce all year round without a specific breeding season. Mating takes place in animals kept in zoological gardens on the ground. The wearing time is 44 to 45 days. The female gives birth to a single young animal, which then grows in the pouch for about 9.5 months and is suckled for a total of 12 months. Females reach sexual maturity at 25 months of age.
Danger
The Matschie tree kangaroo is threatened and is listed in the IUCN Red List as "critically endangered". The total range of the species is less than 14,000 km² and the total number of fully grown individuals is estimated at only 2500 specimens.
Individual evidence
- ^ A b c Mark Eldridge & Graeme Coulson: Family Macropodidae (Kangaroos and Wallabies). in Don E. Wilson , Russell A. Mittermeier : Handbook of the Mammals of the World - Volume 5. Monotremes and Marsupials. Lynx Editions, 2015, ISBN 978-84-96553-99-6 . Page 706
- ↑ The species in the IUCN Red List
