WWF-UK: About tree kangaroos
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About tree kangaroos
There are ten known species of tree kangaroo living in the humid tropical forests of New Guinea and Queensland, Australia.
Most are under threat from hunting and the destruction of their habitat.
Long ago they left the ground and took to the trees in search of better food. Living on leaves and fruit, they are usually found in the canopy of the forest interior. They sleep and rest in the trees and use their long tails to help them balance while moving through the forest canopy.
The forests of New Guinea are threatened by logging, conversion to palm oil plantation and mining.
In Tok Pisin, the language of Papua New Guinea, the word for tree kangaroo is Kapul Longpela Tel, which means 'cuscus with long tail'. The cuscus is another marsupial found in New Guinea.
New Guinea has a rich cultural heritage. Almost one-fifth of the world's human languages are spoken on this island – over 800.
WWF's mission is to build a socially, economically and environmentally resilient New Guinea, which guarantees the future of the extraordinary natural environment, livelihoods and cultural identity of the island and its people.
Most are under threat from hunting and the destruction of their habitat.
Long ago they left the ground and took to the trees in search of better food. Living on leaves and fruit, they are usually found in the canopy of the forest interior. They sleep and rest in the trees and use their long tails to help them balance while moving through the forest canopy.
The forests of New Guinea are threatened by logging, conversion to palm oil plantation and mining.
In Tok Pisin, the language of Papua New Guinea, the word for tree kangaroo is Kapul Longpela Tel, which means 'cuscus with long tail'. The cuscus is another marsupial found in New Guinea.
New Guinea has a rich cultural heritage. Almost one-fifth of the world's human languages are spoken on this island – over 800.
WWF's mission is to build a socially, economically and environmentally resilient New Guinea, which guarantees the future of the extraordinary natural environment, livelihoods and cultural identity of the island and its people.
