Small Species of Kangaroos - Essay Example

Tree Kangaroo Name: Institution: Tree Kangaroo Tree kangaroos are a small species of kangaroos whose sizes allow them to live in trees. Approximately fourteen species of the kangaroo have been identified and the difference between these species in in their source of food and size which is often predetermined by their location. On average, tree kangaroos are 16 to 30 inches long excluding the 15 to 35 inches long tail. The tree kangaroo weighs about 30 pound with the females being relatively smaller compared to the males (Flannery and Seri, 1990). Description The different species of the tree kangaroo are covered in a soft reddish brown fur with some species cover with golden or white fur on their limbs, faces and their underbellies. These animals also have two white stripes that run from their tails to their backs. Every tree Kangaroo has a unique feature in terms of the mixture between the reddish- brown on their skin and the white stripes in their tails (http://wwf.panda.org/what_we_do/endangered_species/tree_kangaroo/, 2014). The Tree Kangaroos are well adapted for tree climbing. Their long tails play and essential role in facilitating body balance. In addition, their strong limbs, which are characterized by rubbery soles, provide a strong grip on branches when climbing trees or when feeding on top of the trees (Miller, 2002). The hind and the front limbs are of almost equal size and these animals have the ability to move with their hind feet separately unlike the grounded kangaroos. The Tree kangaroo has lighter but strong limbs, which facilitate movement on trees. In addition, the animal also has short ears and a long snout. In terms of the dental formula, the tree kangaroo has short but sharp teeth that make it easier to tear leaves from trees and in tearing fruits. Like the ground-dwelling kangaroo, the Tree Kangaroo features a pouch on the front part of its body that is used in carrying its young one (http://www.bioexpedition.com/tree-kangaroo/, 2014). In terms of the relationship between the Tree Kangaroo and the ground-dwelling kangaroos, is that they both belong to the family of macropos, which are plant easting marsupials. All the macropods used to dwell in trees but after millions of years, these animals came to live in the ground. The ancestors of the tree kangaroo went back to live on trees for fear of competition of food and the predators on the ground. The tree kangaroos are the largest tree dwelling animals in the New Papua Guinea and in Australia (Miller, 2002). Diet Tree kangaroos are largely herbivorous considering that most of the tie they feed on flowers, fruits and leaves. Despite the abundance of the types of food that are available for this animal, leaves form the biggest part of its diet. There are other species, such as the Goodfellow’s tree kangaroos, that are omnivores. This is because they occasionally feed on insects, small birds, and eggs (Burton and Burton, 2002) Ecology and the life cycle of Tree Kangaroo Unlike the ground-dwelling kangaroos, the tree kangaroos cohabit as small families. These families consist of the father, the mother, and the young one. The strong bond in the family however exists between the mother and the offspring. This close relationship explains why it is possible for a mother Tree kangaroo to defend her offspring with her own life. These animals are arboreal considering that most of their time is spent on trees but occasionally they come to the ground to feed and are active both at night and during the day (Miller, 2002). In terms of their habitat, of the 14 species, 10 live in Papua New Guinea in the rain forest environment. The remaining four species are found in the Australian rains forests (http://www.bioexpedition.com/tree-kangaroo/, 2014). Reproduction The Tree Kangaroos spend most of their time on trees and in thick forests and this explains why limited information is known concerning their mating process with regard to the elements that attract the male to the female. Existing studies indicate that the gestation period for these animals is 45 days from the day of mating when the offspring is born it is often very small but acts on its instincts to crawl into the pouch for protection and the warmth of its mother (http://www.worldwildlife.org/stories/tree-kangaroo-facts-about-these-declining-species, 2015). The offspring, joey, primarily consumer milk and remains in the pouch until it is ten months old. At about 12 months, the joey is weaned and begins consuming leaves and living in the trees. The joey continues to stay with the mother until it is about 18 months old before it can begin an independent life. The life expectancy of the tree kangaroo is about 29 years (http://www.worldwildlife.org/stories/tree-kangaroo-facts-about-these-declining-species, 2015). Behavior The tree kangaroo spends most of its time on trees but occasionally come on land to feed on fruits. The occasional tendency of coming down to land is related to the high amount of energy that the process takes from them and this makes the kangaroo relatively clumsy and more susceptible to predators. In the trees these animals are agile and considering their adaptive features (Clark, 2012). The strong muscles on their hind legs provide them with the ability to leap a distance of about 30 feet. This is how the tree kangaroo moves from one tree to another. Their adaptive features also make it possible for these animals to jump a distance of about 59 feet from the tree to the ground without the possibility of suffering from any form of industry. This has been attributed to their light but strong feet. In addition, their tails also provide a technique of balancing while in air hence enabling safe landing (Montgomery and Bishop, 2006). Like all the other macropods, tree kangaroos do not sweat but they lick their forearms as a technique of allowing evaporation and cooling of their bodies. The Tree Kangaroos regulate their body temperatures and maintain bodily functions by this way (Montgomery and Bishop, 2006). Threats All the tree kangaroos, especially those living in New Papua Guinea are considered as endangered species. This is because of the deforestation that has characterized human activities in the rainforests. Human beings are increasingly encroaching into the natural habitat of these animals through logging and human settlements and expansion for industrial development. An increase in hunting initiatives among human beings for the tree kangaroo makes the future of these animals highly uncertain (Martin, Simpson & CSIRO Publishing, 2005). This species is also threatened by the level of ignorance among the hunting population in New Papua Guinea. The hunters consider the tree kangaroo as an essential part of their diet despite the dwindling population of this species. This makes it increasingly important to conduct awareness programs among the uniting population on the dangers of over hunting. In addition, there is also need to conduct sensitization programs on the techniques that the hunting community can introduce to ensure the conservation of the tree Kangaroo (Marshall Cavendish Corporation, 2001). Through such an approach, this population of hunters would ensure that more initiatives are put towards the promotion of the existence of the animal. This would guarantee the existence of these animals for future generations. Traditional practices among the hunting population in Papua New Guinea are also considered as threat to the existence of the Tree Kangaroo. This is because in this community Tree kangaroos are not only hunted for food but also for status. An individual who kills a tree kangaroo is considered a hero considering his ability to conquer the human-like marsupial. Other than the food, byproducts from the animal such as the claws, the bones and the teeth are used for decorations making the animal a major target for economic reasons in New Papua Guinea (Martin, Simpson & CSIRO Publishing, 2005). The relationship between man and the tree kangaroo in New Papua Guinea makes human beings the greatest predators of the animal n hence the need to develop sensitization programs to minimize the possibility that the animals will be extinct (Marshall Cavendish Corporation, 2001). Conservation of the Tree kangaroo The World Wildlife Fund (WWF) is one of the organizations that has introduced conservation initiatives to help in restoring the population of Tree kangaroos by stopping the degradation of the natural environment and building a safe ecosystem for the future generations. One of the objectives is to conserve the biological biodiversity that defines the world. The WWF has been able to advocate for the conservation of the forests and the fresh water in Papua New Guinea through effective management of sustainability through different political boundaries (Clark, 2012). In addition, the organization has been able to promote social equity through biodiversity conservation and the realization of sustainable development. This in Papua New Guinea has been realized by incorporating the rights of the members of the community with forest and Tee kangaroo conservation initiatives (Clark, 2012). The indigenous community through the efforts of the government in Papua New Guinea is being educated on the essence of biodiversity values and environmental conservation. This has been through emphasizing on the need to identify alternative sources of food and eradication of destructive traditional practices. The promotion of cross border forest conservation has also been an approach used in the conservation of bio-diverse wildlife as it increases the possibility that more stakeholders will be aware of their mandate in protecting the environment and ensuring that animals live in their natural habitat (http://www.worldwildlife.org/stories/tree-kangaroo-facts-about-these-declining-species, 2015). References Burton, M., & Burton, R. (2002). International wildlife encyclopedia. New York: Marshall Cavendish. Clark, W. (2012). Tree kangaroos. New York: PowerKids Press. Flannery, Tim F & Seri, Lester, (1990). Dendrolagus scottae n.sp. (Marsupialia: Macropodidae): a new tree-kangaroo from Papua New Guinea. Records of the Australian Museum 42(3): 237–245 Marshall Cavendish Corporation. (2001). Endangered wildlife and plants of the world. New York: Marshall Cavendish. Martin, R., Simpson, S., & CSIRO Publishing. (2005). Tree-kangaroos of Australia and New Guinea. Collingwood, VIC: CSIRO Pub. Miller, C. (2002). Tree kangaroos. Austin, TX: Steadwell Books. Montgomery, S., & Bishop, N. (2006). Quest for the tree kangaroo: An expedition to the cloud forest of New Guinea. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. Tree kangaroo. (2014). Accessed on November 3, 2015 from http://www.bioexpedition.com/tree-kangaroo/ World Wild Fund (WWF). (2014). Tree Kangaroo: Facts About These Declining Species. Accessed on November 3, 2015 from http://www.worldwildlife.org/stories/tree-kangaroo-facts-about-these-declining-species World Wild Fund (WWF). (2014) Tree Kangaroo. Accessed on November 3, 2015 from http://wwf.panda.org/what_we_do/endangered_species/tree_kangaroo/ Read More