Fun Tree Kangaroo Facts For Kids

There are nearly 14 different species of Tree Kangaroos which are of the genus Dendrolagus. Most of them live in Australia, West Papua, and Papua New Guinea. They are good climbers and move very fast while Terrestrial Kangaroos hop on the ground. They also have a pouch in the front where they carry their baby. In a year, they give birth to only one offspring.

These animals do not sweat, just like Terrestrial Kangaroos. Generally, any mammal needs sweating to cool their bodies. However, they create sweat by licking their bodies and letting the saliva evaporate, thus providing a cooling effect on their skin.

Their habitat is tree canopies, and they feed on leaves, wild fruits, grass shoots, buds, and fern. They inhibited arboreal locomotion because they spend most of their time on trees. Many species of these animals are endangered due to habitat destruction caused by logging and mining exploration and uncontrolled hunting. Deforestation is another main reason for habitat loss of these animals and resulting in extinction. Since they are endangered, there is a great need to conserve these species. Many conservation groups are formed to protect and preserve them.

As you scroll down, you can find more interesting Tree Kangaroo facts for kids. Here are our other articles on Red Kangaroo and Kangroo facts.

What type of animal is a Tree Kangaroo?

A Tree Kangaroo is an animal of marsupial species of the genus Dendrolagus, appears similar to Kangaroos but smaller in size.

What class of animal does a Tree Kangaroo belong to?

They belong to the class of Mammalia.

How many Tree Kangaroos are there in the world?

In the world, there are about 14 different species of Tree Kangaroo. Northeastern Australia has two Tree Kangaroo species, and the remaining Tree Kangaroo species and subspecies are present on the island of New Guinea. The Matschie's Tree Kangaroo is found only on the Huon Peninsula of northeastern Papua New Guinea. These are endangered species, and the estimated population of these in the wild is less than 2500.

Where does a Tree Kangaroo live?

Most of them live in the rain forest of Australia, West Papua, and Papua New Guinea. They are regularly found in northeastern Australia and the rain forests of New Guinea.

What is a Tree Kangaroo's habitat?

Tree Kangaroo's habitat is tree canopies and rain forests. Mountain regions are also habitats for most of them, except for lowland Tree Kangaroos. Mountain cloud forests at elevations of about 11,000 ft are home to the Matschie's Tree Kangaroo.

Who do Tree Kangaroos live with?

The Matschie's Tree Kangaroos live a solitary life, except for mother, baby bonding. A mother and its offspring live together until the offspring is big enough to take care of itself. The baby Tree Kangaroo leaves the mother at 18 months and forms a new home.

How long does a Tree Kangaroo live?

The lifespan of these Marsupials is about 18-25 years.

How do they reproduce?

A female Tree Kangaroo gets sexual maturity when it is two years old. During the estrous cycle, the female comes down to the ground and approaches the male. Then the male does the tongue licking, hissing, and swatting and then mounts the female. The copulation process lasts for an hour, and semen is released into the female. The gestation period lasts 35-44 days, and after the gestation period, the tiny, less than an-inch baby comes out and crawls up into its mother's pouch. The baby Tree Kangaroo is called a joey. The joey attaches itself to one of the nipples of the mother and feeds on her milk, and grows very fast. The joey comes and goes into the pouch for a certain time and permanently comes out of the pouch at 10 months.

What is their conservation status?

They are not extinct but are Endangered. Habitat loss caused due to cutting down trees and locals hunting them for food in Papua New Guinea are the biggest threats to their survival.

What do Tree Kangaroos look like?

Tree Kangaroos look like normal Kangaroos but are smaller in size. Different species are found that have very slight differences. In general, a Tree Kangaroo has a long, thick tail, long hind legs, and sharp long nails. They have a sponge-like grip on their feet and paws. Their fur is of various shades of tan and brown. Their faces are in light cream color. Tree Kangaroos also have a pouch in the front, just like other Kangaroos.

How cute are they?

Tree Kangaroos are very cute furry animals. They are very adorable marsupials.

How do they communicate?

The Matschie's Tree Kangaroo senses the surroundings through vision, touch, smell, and hearing. They communicate by visual display, vocalization, touch, and, most prominently, through chemical cues.

How big is a Tree Kangaroo?

Tree Kangaroos are 20-30 in long, excluding the tail, and are smaller than a Terrestrial Kangaroo. Their tail itself is as big as its head and body's combined length. The tail plays a significant role in balancing while moving in the trees.

How fast can a Tree Kangaroo move?

A Tree Kangaroo moves very fast and is hard to find, and so it is called as 'ghost of the forest' by the locals. Since they are adapted to the high life in trees, they climb very fast. They move very fast using their bark gripping claws, strong limbs, and long tails to climb the trees.

How much does a Tree Kangaroo weigh?

The weight of a Tree Kangaroo is about 13-33 lb. Different species of Tree Kangaroo have different weights. The Goodfellow's Tree Kangaroo and Matschie's Tree Kangaroos weigh nearly 16 lb.

What are their male and female names of the species?

The different Tree Kangaroos species do not have any specific name for the male and the female. They are just called male and female Tree Kangaroos.

What would you call a baby Tree Kangaroo?

A baby Tree Kangaroo is called Joey.

What do they eat?

When they are kept in captivity in a zoo, they eat leaves and fruits. In the wild, they eat buds, some kinds of flowers, tree bark, fern, and grass shoots.

Are they dangerous?

Tree Kangaroos are very calm animals. But there is a slight chance that male Tree Kangaroos can sometimes become aggressive and attack people.

Would they make a good pet?

They are very calm animals and can make good pets. However, it is illegal to keep them as pets since they are endangered and hence are protected.

Did you know...

A Tree kangaroo is not a Kangaroo. A Tree Kangaroo is related to a Terrestrial Kangaroos as they both belong to the same family of Marcopodidae. They move on trees most of the time and come down to the ground very rarely, while the Terrestrial Kangaroos hop on the ground.

We cannot buy a Tree Kangaroo since it is illegal and they are protected to prevent extinction.

Tree Kangaroos can swim very well when required, even though it is not their regular activity.

Why are Tree Kangaroos going extinct?

Some Tree Kangaroos species are going extinct because of habitat loss due to deforestation and hunting by the locals for food. As per IUCN 2014, the number of Matschie's Tree Kangaroos left is less than 2,500. Habitat destruction due to mining and deforestation are also reasons for extinction. The World Wildlife Organisation, along with programs like TRAFFIC, are working to eradicate the illegal hunting of these animals and also illegal logging and mining.

Different types of Tree Kangaroo

There are nearly 14 different species of Tree kangaroos available in wildlife. Some of them are the Goodfellow's Tree Kangaroo, Matschie's Tree Kangaroo, Lumholtz's Tree Kangaroo, Bennett's Tree Kangaroo, Grizzled Tree Kangaroo, Golden-mantled Tree Kangaroo, and many more. They are different from one another in their shape, size, and color.

Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other mammals including anteater, or ringtail possum.

You can even occupy yourself at home by drawing one on our tree kangaroo coloring pages.