Wondiwoi tree-kangaroo facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Wondiwoi tree-kangaroo |
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| Illustration from the 1936 Rothschild and Dollman monograph 'The Genus Dendrolagus' | |
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Dendrolagus
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mayri
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The Wondiwoi tree-kangaroo (Dendrolagus mayri) is a very rare mammal. It belongs to a group of animals called tree-kangaroos. These animals are known for living in trees. For a long time, scientists only knew about this animal from one single specimen. This specimen was collected way back in 1928.
The only known Wondiwoi tree-kangaroo specimen was a male. It weighed about 9.25 kilograms (20.4 pounds). This special animal was found in the Wondiwoi Peninsula. This area is in West Papua, a part of New Guinea. It lived high up in the mountains, around 1,600 meters (5,250 feet) above sea level. This habitat is a type of mountain forest. Experts believe the Wondiwoi tree-kangaroo might live in an area of about 300 square kilometers (116 square miles).
The Wondiwoi tree-kangaroo is considered one of the "25 Most Wanted Lost Species." This list is put together by Global Wildlife Conservation. They are a charity that works to protect animals.
Contents
Who Discovered the Wondiwoi Tree-Kangaroo?
This tree-kangaroo was named to honor Ernst Mayr. He was a famous scientist. Mayr collected the very first specimen of this animal. A "specimen" is an example of an animal or plant used for scientific study. This important specimen is now kept at the Natural History Museum, London.
The Wondiwoi tree-kangaroo was officially described in 1933. This was done by Lord Rothschild and Captain Guy Dollman. They wrote about it in a scientific paper. Later, in 1936, they published a book about tree-kangaroos. This book included a drawing of the Wondiwoi tree-kangaroo. The drawing was based on the only known specimen.
Finding the Wondiwoi Tree-Kangaroo Again
For many years, no one saw a living Wondiwoi tree-kangaroo. People worried it might be extinct. Then, in July 2018, something amazing happened. A British nature lover named Michael Smith took some photos. These photos might be the very first pictures of a living Wondiwoi tree-kangaroo!
Michael Smith was exploring the Wondiwoi mountains. He was looking for special plants called Vireya rhododendrons. He took a picture of a tree-kangaroo at about 1,600 meters (5,250 feet) high. It looked like a type of tree-kangaroo called a 'dorianus type'. He also found other signs of tree-kangaroos. These included scent marks, droppings, and claw marks on trees. These signs were found even higher, from 1,700m to 2,000m (5,577 to 6,562 feet).
Local hunters usually don't go into these high mountain forests. The land is very difficult to travel through. There isn't much water, and there are thick bamboo plants. This means the Wondiwoi tree-kangaroo's home is often left undisturbed.
Is the Wondiwoi Tree-Kangaroo Endangered?
For a long time, scientists thought this species might be extinct. Or, at least, critically endangered. The IUCN Red List is a list of endangered species. It listed the Wondiwoi tree-kangaroo as "Critically Endangered (Possibly Extinct)." This means that if the animal still exists, there are very few left. Probably fewer than 50 adult animals. Their numbers might also be shrinking because of hunting. Even though people have visited the area, they haven't seen this species often.
However, the photos taken in 2018 gave new hope! They suggest that the Wondiwoi tree-kangaroo is still alive. This was a very exciting discovery for scientists and conservationists.
Scientists are still learning about the Wondiwoi tree-kangaroo. Some experts think it might be a type of Doria's tree-kangaroo. This means it would be a subspecies, not a separate species. But newer studies, looking at DNA, suggest that these 'dorianus type' tree-kangaroos are indeed different species. More research is needed to be sure about the Wondiwoi tree-kangaroo's exact species status.
See also
In Spanish: Canguro arborícola de Wondiwoi para niños
