‘Colin’ the tree Kangaroo settles into new digs
WILDLIFE HABITAT
WILDLIFE Habitat Port Douglas has turned its focus to a Lumholtz’s Tree Kangaroo, which now has its own renovated enclosure and staff are hoping that his ‘female company’ will prove to be a success in their breeding program.
Colin, as he is known, was rescued on Collins Road in Ravenshoe a few years ago and is now being showcased to visitors to the facility.
Tree-kangaroos are marsupials of the genus Dendrolagus, adapted for arboreal locomotion. They inhabit the tropical rainforests of New Guinea, Far north-eastern Queensland, and some of the islands in the region. Most tree-kangaroos are considered threatened due to hunting and habitat destruction. They are the only true arboreal macropods.
Little is known about the reproduction of tree-kangaroos in the wild. The only published data are from captive individuals. Female tree-kangaroos reach sexual maturity as early as 2.04 years of age and males at 4.6 years.
The female's fertile period is estimated to be approximately two months. They have one of the longest marsupial offspring development/maturation periods; pouch life for the young is 246–275 days long and weaning occurs 87–240 days later.
Wildlife Habitat manager Clare Anderson said Colin’s transition to the new enclosure was smooth.
“Within the first hour of being in his new abode, he was clambering through the vines and had explored nearly every inch of the enclosure,” she said.
“He is now in a more stimulating environment than his previous one and is enjoying the natural vines and trees to make his way through and platforms for feeding and sleeping on various levels.”
Ms Anderson said Tree-kangaroos are notoriously difficult to see in the wild, so the opportunity to showcase the unique species to visitors and locals at Wildlife Habitat is an immense privilege.
“With such close views of this amazing species, you can really see their incredibly powerful forearms, and how they are adapted to life in the trees,” she said.
Wildlife Habitat participates in the Lumholtz’s Tree-kangaroo population management program, which is authorised by the Zoo and Aquarium Association to educate visitors, create conservation awareness, and directly contribute to a sustainable population of the species.
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