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'Lumholtz's Tree-kangaroo' is a heavy-bodied tree-kangaroo found in rain forests of the Atherton Tableland Region of Queensland. Its status is classified as Near Threatened by the IUCN, although local authorities classify it as rare.^[1] It is named after the Norwegian explorer Carl Sofus Lumholtz (1851-1922).
It is the smallest of all tree-kangaroos, with males weighing an average of 7.2 kg (16 lbs) and females 5.9 kg (13 lbs). Tree Kangaroos: A Curious Natural History, Flannery, Timothy F, Martin, Roger, Szalay, Alexandria, , , Reed Books, 1996, ISBN 0-7301-0492-3 Its head and body length ranges from 480-650 mm, and its tail, 600-740 mm.^[2] It has powerful limbs and has short, grizzled grey fur. Its muzzle, toes and tip of tail are black.

Contents

Habitat

Social behavior

References

External links

Habitat

This largely solitary and nocturnal tree-kangaroo lives in mountain rainforests in north-eastern Australia from 800 metres above sea level and spends more 99% of its time in the rainforest canopy and tree tops. It is especially adapted to arboreal life and can leap 3-6 metres (10-20') between tree branches, using its tail as a rudder. When alarmed, it has been known to drop 15- 18 metres (50-60') to the ground unharmed, rather than seek escape through the treetops. It is a nocturnal feeder, and its diet is mainly leaves and fruit.

Social behavior

Lumholtz's Tree-kangaroo lives in small, loose-knit groups of three to five, consisting of a male and female mates. Each kangaroo maintains a "home range" and will be hostile towards a member of the same gender that enters it (the one exception seems to be non-hostile encounters between adult males and their male offspring). Thus, the male will protect his own range, and visit the ranges of the females in his group. Mating takes place in episodes of about twenty minutes, and is often quite aggressive.

References

1. Lumholtz's tree-kangaroo
2. Australian Mammals: Key Guide (Revised Edition), , Leonard, Cronin, Envirobooks, 2000, ISBN 0-85881-172-3


★ Simon & Schuster's Guide to Mammals, entry 30

★ Behaviour Patterns of Lumholtz's Tree Kangaroo

★ The Tree Kangaroo and Mammal Group, Inc.

External links

★ Site with information and several photos.